PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Plymouth State University posted a wild second half rally to turn a seven-goal margin into a one-goal game, but Framingham State University was able to survive to hold on for a 12-10 win over the Panthers in non-conference women's lacrosse action at a soggy Panther Field on Tuesday evening.
Framingham State took control from the opening draw to take a 5-1 lead in the first quarter. The Rams extended the margin to 10-3 less than a minute into the third, but Plymouth State mounted a wild comeback attempt.
Sparked by junior
Julia Donovan (Antrim, N.H.) and senior
Tarryn O'Brien (Weymouth, Mass.), the Panthers scored six straight goals to whittle the deficit down to 10-9 with roughly ten minutes remaining. PSU had chances to pull even, but the Framingham State goaltender made several key stops to preserve the lead before the Rams tacked on two more scores.
The Panthers didn't quit, as O'Brien scored during a women-down situation to pull within 12-10 with 1:42 left to play and Plymouth State controlled the ensuing draw. Framingham State forced a turnover, though, and the Rams were able to run out the clock.
Plymouth State slips to 2-1, while the Rams move to 1-2.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 10, Framingham State 12
- Plymouth State (2-1)
- Framingham State (1-2)
How it Happened:
- The visitors scored twice in the opening four minutes, then pushed the lead to 3-0 with 5:27 left in the quarter.
- Donovan briefly halted the momentum with her first of six goals on the night 23 seconds later, but Framingham responded with back-to-back scores to close out the first with a 5-1 lead.
- After a Framingham State goal pushed the margin to 6-1 to start the second quarter, junior Maddie Hunt (Littleton, Mass.) converted during a woman-up situation, then setup Donovan for her second of the game to cut the deficit to 6-3 midway through the second.
- The Rams responded with the final three goals of the half, including two in the last 30 seconds, to carry a 9-3 lead into the break.
- Framingham State pushed the lead to 10-3 with a goal just 23 seconds into the third, but Plymouth State mounted a rally.
- Donovan scored twice in less than 90 seconds to pull within 10-5, and O'Brien notched her sixth of the season with seven minutes left in the stanza.
- O'Brien added another in the final minute as the margin shrank to 10-7 entering the fourth.
- Donovan scored twice in a 40-second span to make it a one-goal game, 10-9, with nearly ten minutes remaining, but the Rams restored the two-goal lead with six minutes to play and an insurance tally slipped past the goalie to make it 12-9 with 2:35 to go.
- Undeterred, O'Brien found the back of the cage while the Panthers were down a player to pull within 12-10 with 1:42 to go, but Framingham State was able to run out the clock.
By the Numbers:
- Donovan finished with a career-high six goals, while O'Brien chipped in three goals and an assist to go with two ground balls and two caused turnovers.
- Hunt added a goal and an assist with four ground balls.
- Junior Jenna Stowell (Londonderry, N.H.) had a team-high five draw controls and added three ground balls, two caused turnovers and a pair of assists.
- Framingham State outshot the Panthers 11-3 in the opening quarter, but PSU responded to hold a narrow 28-26 lead in shots for the game.
- Plymouth State went 17-for-21 in clear attempts, while the Rams were 15-of-20.
- PSU controlled the ground balls by a 25-17 margin, including 13-5 in the second half, but Framingham State had a 13-12 edge in draw controls.
- Plymouth State dips to 5-1 against the Rams all-time.
Up Next:
- The Panthers head to Panama City, Fla. for a pair of games as part of the Spring Fling Women's Lacrosse Tournament next week. PSU will square off against Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday (Mar. 12) before facing Wooster on Thursday (Mar. 14).
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