Women's Lacrosse Edged in Double OT at William & Mary, 11-10

Sunday, April 20

Williamsburg, Va.

1:00 p.m.

Drexel University

William & Mary

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Lacrosse Edged in Double OT at William & Mary, 11-10

4/20/2014 3:34:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

BOX SCORE

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Drexel women's lacrosse team could not hang on to five separate one-goal leads on Sunday afternoon as the Dragons fell in double overtime at William & Mary, 11-10. The Dragons, who finished the regular season just 1-7 away from home, got career highs of four goals from Emily Kellet and 14 saves from Teresha Bradley but could not hold off the Tribe, who won two of the three draw controls in the overtime periods.

Kellett's four goals were the most by any Dragon since Joelle Hartke had four at Colgate, the only other game this season that Drexel (6-9, 1-3) lost despite scoring 10 goals. Emily Duffey added two goals and an assist for the Dragons, with Caroline Thiele contributing a goal and an assist. William & Mary (3-12, 1-4) got three goals apiece from Amanda Johnson and Taelor Salmon, while Ellen Saffrey had two assists and a goal, the game-winner with 10.8 seconds remaining in the first double overtime period.

The loss ultimately has little bearing on the Dragons' ability to earn a fourth-consecutive berth in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament. The winner of the Dragons' Senior Day matchup with Hofstra next Saturday will earn the league's fourth and final playoff spot.

The Dragons came out of the gates strong, correcting an issue that had plagued them in previous losses in recent weeks. Drexel scored three times in the first 6:30 of the contest, getting goals from Emily Kellett, Emily Duffey and Joelle Hartke. Kellett streaked in from the left side of the arc for her first goal just over two minutes in. Duffey followed with a wraparound goal, beating William & Mary goalkeeper Colleen Nofi to the upper right. That goal extended Duffey's goal-scoring streak to six games, during which time she has 11 goals. Hartke's score saw her loop around from the back of the net, deking her defender after getting in front and beating Nofi low.

Each time the Dragons scored, though, William & Mary had an answer. The game was tied three times before William & Mary scored back-to-back goals to take its first lead with 14:13 to play in the first half. The Tribe would add another before Kellett's second score, off a free position goal, pulled Drexel back within one at 5-4 with 4:30 remaining.

Drexel had an opportunity to tie the score, but Nofi stoned Drexel leading scorer Kelly Palace on an excellent look, the third time Nofi had stopped a clear Palace shot. The Tribe got possession and went down the field, scoring off a free position. They would add another score with just over a minute remaining in the half to go into intermission up 7-4.

The Dragons came out strong to start the second half. Caroline Thiele took the ball from right to left across the arc, shooting across her body to get the first goal of the period with 26:36 remaining. The ball was deflected by Nofi, but trickled by her and in the net. Less than 30 seconds later, Kellett got her third goal of the afternoon, finishing a free position after Drexel had won the draw and raced in.

William & Mary answered with a goal to extend its lead back to two, but the Dragons got it back down to a single goal with 16:27 to play when Emily Duffey started what would be a three-goal Dragon run. She took a pass behind the net from Thiele at the top of the arc, came around the left side and beat Nofi from close range.

Less than four minutes later, Eva Winiarski tied it with 12:52 remaining. Kellett had a look at a free position from the far left side of the arc, but pulled out and passed the ball around. The ball ended up in the stick of Winiarski at the top of the arc. She took two quick steps in and fired straight on for the goal.

Drexel got the lead back with 7:57 to play. Again it was Kellett, this time taking a pass from Duffey on the left wing. She spun and fired from 15 feet to net her fourth goal of the afternoon, a new career high.

William & Mary responded as it had all afternoon long, but Lacey Aghazarian put the Dragons back on top with 3:22 remaining. She looped around the crease and shot from the left side, beating Nofi high over her left shoulder.

The Tribe came back again, scoring on a free position with 46 seconds remaining to tie the score. They won the ensuing draw, but Drexel held them off as regulation expired.

In overtime, William & Mary won each of the two draws, but both times the Dragons forced late turnovers to keep the Tribe off the board. At the end of the first three minutes of play, the Dragons had time to work the ball downfield and get it inside, but a Tribe defender knocked the ball loose from Thiele's stick. Amanda Norcini picked it up, but her last-second shot was high. The second overtime period went by without a serious attempt by either side.

The second overtime began with the Dragons winning their only draw of overtime. They worked the ball inside before calling a timeout, but could not get a shot off before turning it over with nearly 90 seconds still on the clock. William & Mary brought the ball upfield, methodically working it around the net before Kaleigh Noon found Shaffrey from behind the net for a tomahawk shot just in front of the crease to end it with 10.8 seconds left on the clock.

The Dragons conclude their regular season next Saturday with Senior Day in a meaningful game against Hofstra at Vidas Field. The winner of that game will secure the fourth and final spot in the upcoming CAA Championships, which will be held May 2-4 back here in Williamsburg. Senior Day has a first draw time of 1:00 p.m., to be preceded by ceremonies honoring senior co-captains Amanda Norcini and Kelly Palace.