Quinnipiac Slips Past Sacred Heart in Overtime Thriller, 11-10
3/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
March 24, 2005
FAIRFIELD, CT (March 24, 2005) - Quinnipiac University's Kate Danowski scored the game winning overtime goal to give the Bobcats an 11-10 Northeast Conference win over Sacred Heart University Thursday afternoon. It wasn't until the third period of overtime play for the Bobcats to take the win.
Pioneers took an early lead scoring two goals in the first four minutes. Sophomore, Brianna Bubeck (Bethlehem, NY) scored the first goal for SHU at 27:25. Less then a minute later, senior JoAnn Montesarchio (Cortlandt Manor, NY) made it a 2-0 game with her 14th goal of the season. The Bobcats rallied back scoring the next five goals, three coming off the stick of senior Amy Willis.
The Pioneers ended the streak on senior Natalie Smith's first marker of the day at 6:21. Willis came back with her fourth of the half at 3:40 but Smith would answer again with 49 seconds left cutting the QU lead to 6-4 at the half. The Pioneer continued their run starting the second half as Bubeck and Smith both found the back of the net to knot the game at 6-6 just over five minutes into the play.
Quinnipiac ended Sacred Heart's run with a goal by freshman Katy Delagi. The Pioneers answered back with a free position goal by sophomore Heather Gureckis (Nashua, NH) at 21:38. The next seven minutes of the game were scoreless until Quinnipiac's Christy Smallman scored her second and third goals of the game to give the Bobcats a 9-7 lead with 9:34 to go.
After trading goals, the Pioneers trailed the Bobcats 10-8 with a little over two minutes to go. Sacred Heart's Maureen Hohn (Lutherville, MD) tightened up the game scoring her fourth goal of the season and with 49 seconds left to go in regulation, Montesarchio scored to tie the game at 10-10.
With the game tied, the Pioneers and Bobcats went into the first period of overtime play. After a scoreless first three minutes, the Bobcats earned a free position shot with five seconds left in the second overtime session. Smallman's shot was blocked and time ran out, forcing at third sudden death overtime. With only 32 seconds tallied off the clock Smallman made a quick pass to senior Kate Danowski who scored the game winning goal, giving the Bobcats an 11-10 win, their first of the year.
SHU falls to 3-3 on the year and 0-1 in NEC play after the loss. Montesarchio and Smith each scored three goals with Montesarchio adding two assists to her total. Senior goalie Maggie Brauer (Blauvelt, NY) recorded 12 saves in the cage for Sacred Heart.
Quinnipiac, 1-5 overall and 1-0 in league play, was led by Willis's four scores and Smallman who registered six points on three goals and three assists. Ashley Thompson made eight saves in the goal to earn the win.
The Pioneers are on the road this Saturday March 26th to face the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut State University at 1:00 pm.
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