University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac Sneaks Past Huskies in Lacrosse, 11-10
3/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
March 5, 2009
HAMDEN, Conn. - Despite the combined scoring efforts of Whitney Michele (East Rochester, N.Y.) and Amanda Pollock (Liverpool, N.Y.), the University of Connecticut lacrosse team was unable to get past Quinnipiac on Thursday afternoon. The Huskies (0-4) lost a close game, 11-10 to their intra-state rival Bobcats at the Quinnipiac University Field Hockey and Lacrosse field.
All was even after the first 30 minutes of play with the game tied 5-5. Quinnipiac (1-0) scored twice to get on the board before Kiersten Tupper (Camillius, N.Y.) netted her third of the season to cut the lead by one. The Bobcats' Nicole Fiore and the Huskies' Katy Ryan (Hamburg, N.Y.) exchanged goals within 30 seconds of each other before all went silent.
Neither team scored until just past the midway through the first half. Ashley Valentine scored for Quinnipiac, with an assist from Fiore, for the 4-2 edge. Tupper scored again five minutes later (4-3) and with a pair of goals from Pollock in the final five minutes of the first half, UConn tied the game 5-5.
Quinnipiac changed goalies at the midway point of the game with Noelle Martello stepping in for the second half. Hannah Nelson, the starting goalie, finished the game with five saves and five goals against in the first 30 minutes.
A pair of goals from Michele gave the Huskies their first lead of the game. Assisted by Tupper, Michele's mark at 25:40 had the Huskies ahead 7-6. Fiore capitalized on a free-position shot less than two minutes later to tie the game for the third time.
Michele and Pollock capped off their respective hat tricks to give the Huskies a 9-7 edge at 19:48.
The Bobcats responded with three unanswered goals to regain a 10-9 lead at 15:48 in the second half. Quinnipiac's scoring spree briefly interrupted by a UConn time out continued until Michele scored her fourth goal of the game. The Huskies trailed 11-10 with over eight minutes remaining in regulation.
Anna Wallingford (Littleton, Colo.) for the second-straight game took over in the cage for Jenna Moulton (East Rochester, N.Y.). Wallingford made two saves and allowed one goal in the final 15:48.
Martello came up big for the Bobcats as shots by Michele and Tupper were turned aside. M.E. Lapham (Cazenovia, N.Y.) had a pair of opportunities in the last four minutes of play that Martello saved, including a free-position shot.
Quinnipiac narrowly out-shot UConn (22-21) in the game while Moulton made five saves for the Huskies. Michele and Tupper each led UConn in scoring with four points. UConn had the advantage in draw controls, winning 13-of-23 against the Bobcats.
The Huskies host No. 15 New Hampshire on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game at George J. Sherman-Family Sports Complex. The first 100 students to arrive will receive a free slice of pizza.
