PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Amelia Thomas (Hopkinton, N.H.) scored late in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but visiting Western Connecticut State University tallied a game winner 1:03 into the extra frame to top Plymouth State University, 11-10, in a back-and-forth Little East Conference (LEC) women's lacrosse game at Panther Field on Saturday afternoon.
The rematch of last year's overtime thriller in the finals of the LEC Tournament did not disappoint, as the game featured physical back-and-forth action throughout. The teams traded goals into the second quarter until senior
Megan Gaspa (Laconia, N.H.) notched back-to-back tallies to give PSU its only lead of the day.
WestConn answered with three straight scores for a 7-5 lead at the break. The Panthers rallied to tie the game at 8-8 and 9-9 before the visitors went ahead midway through the fourth quarter. With the shot clock winding down, Thomas fired a deep shot past the Wolves' goaltender to knot the score at 10-10 with just under 2:30 left in regulation.
The Panthers had the final possession of regulation but were unable to get a shot off and WestConn won the overtime draw and snuck a shot into the back of the cage just over a minute into the session to take the win.
Plymouth State slips to 3-5 (0-1 LEC), while WestConn improves to 5-4 (1-0 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 10, WestConn 11 (OT)
- Plymouth State (3-5, 0-1 LEC)
- WestConn (5-4, 1-0 LEC)
How it Happened:
- WestConn got on the board first roughly three minutes into the contest, but junior Julia Donovan (Antrim, N.H.) converted a free position attempt to tie the game less than a minute later.
- The Wolves went right back in front 16 seconds later, but Donovan had the answer yet again to tie the game at 2-2 with 11 minutes left in the first.
- The visitors pulled ahead midway through the frame but Donovan's third goal of the opening stanza, another free position tally, made it 3-3 with just over four minutes remaining.
- WestConn took advantage of a woman-up situation late in the first to take a 4-3 lead after one.
- Gaspa scored on a free position attempt, then added another goal to give PSU a 5-4 lead just 1:47 into the second.
- The Wolves countered with the next three scores to carry a 7-5 advantage into halftime.
- Senior Elle Moshier (Stratford, Conn.) opened the third quarter scoring, but the Wolves used another woman-up goal to restore the two-goal margin, 8-6, with ten minutes on the clock.
- Plymouth State battled right back with senior Tarryn O'Brien (Weymouth, Mass.) and junior Maddie Hunt (Littleton, Mass.) scoring just 37 seconds apart to knot the game at 8-8.
- WestConn scored with 1:37 left in the frame to regain the lead heading to the fourth.
- O'Brien converted a feed from Gaspa to square things at 9-9 in 5:16 into the quarter but the visitors went back in front midway through the frame.
- Thomas came through with a long shot from the right side as the shot clock was winding down to even things at 10-10. Both teams had possessions in the final two minutes, but neither was able to get a shot off as the game went into overtime.
- WestConn controlled the opening draw and a Wolves' attacker got around a pair of defenders and fired a shot into the cage 1:03 into the extra session to secure the win.
By the Numbers:
- Donovan finished with three goals and an assist and added a pair of ground balls.
- Gaspa had a solid all-around game with two goals and an assist, a team-high four ground balls and three draw controls.
- Junior Jenna Stowell (Londonderry, N.H.) snagged 11 draw controls, while classmate Margie Black (Longmeadow, Mass.) finished with 12 saves.
- WestConn held a narrow 23-19 advantage in shots on goal and went 15-for-18 on clear attempts.
- The Panthers were 12-for-16 in clears and won 15-of-25 draws.
- PSU converted 3-of-9 free position attempts, while WestConn was 2-for-6.
- Plymouth State topped the Wolves in overtime to win the LEC Tournament last May. The Panthers lead the all-time series by an 18-11 margin.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State remains at home to face Bridgewater State on Tuesday (Apr. 2) at 6:00 p.m.
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