FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart women's lacrosse team rallied from a three-goal halftime deficit against the Iona Gaels Wednesday to force overtime at Campus Field, but it was the Gaels that came out on top 14-13.

Alyssa Pearce led SHU with four goals, scoring three in the final 8:14 of regulation. Freshman Cassie Cesario had a career-high three goals and three assists for six points. Senior Caitlin Delaney had seven points on two goals and a career-high five assists. She also had three draw controls and four caused turnovers. Paige Hammick made 11 saves in goal.

Iona (3-4) jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first 13:24, using a 4-0 run with goals from Katelyn Noschese, Erin Pugh, and two by Christine Gironda. The Pioneers snapped a near nine-minute scoring drought with Averi Farhat's free position goal at the 15:48 mark, making the score 5-2. After back-to-back Gaels goals put Iona in front 7-2, Pearce and Delaney scored two straight goals to make the halftime deficit three at 7-4.

Sacred Heart (2-2) came alive in the second half. After an early Iona tally, the Pioneers scored six unanswered goals in 13:49 to take a 10-8 lead. Cesario scored the final three goals of the run to give SHU its first lead of the game. Delaney assisted on five of the six tallies. Iona responded with goals from Pamela Giordano, Grace Celona, and Noschese to re-take the lead, 11-10, with 9:07 left in the second half. Pearce and Gironda traded goals for the remainder of regulation. Gironda put the Gaels ahead 13-12 with 1:47 to play, but Pearce tied the game with 0:35 left with an assist from Cesario. Iona won the opening draw of overtime, and got the game-winning goal from Noschese 1:21 into the extra period to give the Gaels the 14-13 win.

Iona outshot Sacred Heart 30-28 and held a 17-13 edge in groundballs. The Pioneers forced 20 Iona turnovers but committed 24. Gironda led the Gaels with five goals and had six points. Celona had seven points on a goal and a game-high six assists. Noschese added four goals.

The Pioneers return to Campus Field on Saturday, March 11 for a 12 p.m. game against Marist.