University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
8-3, 4-1BIG EAST
University of Denver
7-1, 5-0BIG EAST
Huskies Fall to No. 22 Denver in 3 OTs
4/9/2021 8:13:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
STORRS, Conn. – UConn senior Sydney Watson (Prince Fredrick, Md.) scored her fifth goal with 47 seconds left to tie the game and force overtime but Denver's Bea Behrins scored her fifth in the third overtime to deliver the No. 22 Pioneers a 14-13 win at Jospeh J. Morrone Stadium Friday afternoon.
The Huskies drop their first BIG EAST game of the season and are now 8-3 overall and 4-1 in the league. Denver moves to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the BIG EAST.
Junior attacker Lia LaPrise (Windsor, Conn.) finished with eight points, scoring a goal while also tying the school record for assists in a game with seven (7 – Shannon Burke vs. CCSU, 2007).
Denver jumped out to a 5-0 lead just 6:35 into the game before the Huskies would begin their comeback bid that would finally see them tie the game up in the closing minute of regulation. The junior combination of Grace Coon (Marcellus, N.Y.) and LaPrise would connect four times on Friday for goal, and got started with three-straight to pull the Huskies to within 5-3 at the 18:21 mark.
The Huskies pulled within one twice to head into the half trailing 7-6. UConn goaltender Landyn White (Alpharetta, Ga.) stopped 11 shots in the first 30 minutes. In the first 10 minutes of the second half, Denver pushed their lead to 10-7 on Behrins, Julia Gilbert and Eliza Radochonski goals.
The two teams traded goals as the Denver lead held at three, 12-9, with 11:44 to go, setting up the Huskies late push to tie. Watson started what would be a 4-1 run to close out regulation with her third goal at 9:24. After Denver answered, UConn would ring up three-straight as Watson got her fourth followed by the fourth Coon from LaPrise goal at 6:14 to pull within 13-12.
Watson would draw a free position attempt with under a minute left and got the tying goal, her fifth, with 47 seconds left. Denver would win the ensuing draw but a turnover in the closing seconds sent the game to overtime.
In the second overtime, UConn had back-to-back shots to grab the game-winner by Denver goaltender Amelia Cole turned both away to keep it tied. In the third overtime, UConn took the draw but a turnover gave Denver a chance and with 43 ticks left, Behrins found some room to get a shot off and end it on her fifth of the day.
In addition to her five goals, Watson ended the day with 10 draw controls. Coon put four in the back of the cage while freshman Lauren Barry (Wilbraham, Mass.) scored twice. Defensively, White finished the game with 18 saves while Alyssa Conklin (Sloatsburg, N.Y.) had four caused turnovers and six ground balls.
The Huskies and Pioneers will take the field again on Sunday afternoon, April 11 at 12 noon at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium.
