University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
4-1
Massachusetts
1-2
Watson Lifts UConn Past No. 22 UMass in OT
3/7/2021 4:14:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
STORRS, Conn. – UConn senior Sydney Watson (Prince Fredrick, Md.) scored with 1:36 left in overtime to deliver the Huskies a 12-11 win over the No. 22 nationally ranked UMass Minutewomen Sunday afternoon at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at Riza Performance Center.
Watson scored a season-high six goals and collected 13 draw controls to lead the Huskies to their fourth-straight win. UConn is now 4-1 on the season while UMass falls to 1-2.
After trading goals early in the game, UMass put together a five-goal run that gave the Minutewomen an 8-4 lead with 5:46 left in the first half. Watson, who scored the game's first goal, got the last of the first half at 3:06 and ignited a rally that would carry over into the second half.
The Huskies kept UMass off the scoreboard until the 9:48 mark of the second half with Watson scoring three more times during that stretch to fuel a six-goal rally that gave UConn a 10-8 lead. UMass ended their drought at 9:48 on a Maddy Malone goal but UConn's Kate Shaffer (West Hartford, Conn.) pushed the lead back to two-goals with her third on the afternoon with 5:55 to go.
UMass battled their way back in the last five minutes to tie the game as Kelly Marra scored at 4:26 to pull within a goal and Moloney tied the game up, scoring a man-down goal with 2:34 left in the game. The Minutewomen looked to grab a late lead with under a minute to play but junior goaltender Landyn White (Alparetta, Ga.) came up with two saves on their final possession to give UConn a chance at some late heroics.
The ball went to Watson who got to goal but UMass goalie Lauren Hiller made the save with just three second left to force overtime. In the extra session White came up huge again, getting a stop on a Kelly Marra shot attempt off the ensuing draw to set up the UConn clear. The Huskies went right to Watson who buried the game-winner with 1:36 left.
UConn's Shaffer finished with three goals, two coming on free-position attempts. Sophomore Madelyn George (Rush, N.Y.) scored twice and picked-up five ground balls in the win. White finished the game with 13 saves to earn the win.
UMass' Kelly had four goals while Moloney had three tallies and an assist.
The Huskies and Minutewomen will match-up again next Saturday up in Amherst, Mass., with opening draw set for 1 pm.
