Women's Lacrosse Comeback Thwarted in Overtime By Rutgers, 9-8

Saturday, March 4

Vidas Field

1 p.m.

Drexel University

3-2

Rutgers

3-3

Rutgers

Drexel

Photo by: Ryan Samson

Women's Lacrosse Comeback Thwarted in Overtime By Rutgers, 9-8

3/4/2017 3:35:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel women's lacrosse team scored twice in the final 2:21 of regulation to force overtime against Rutgers on Saturday afternoon at Vidas Field but could not take advantage of three possessions in the extra period as Rutgers scored with nearly five minutes into overtime to defeat the Dragons, 9-8. Nadia Pelham-Lacey put together a career-high seven-point game, the first for any Dragon in nearly five years, but was shut down by the Rutgers defense in overtime to keep the Dragons off the scoreboard.

Pelham-Lacey scored four times and assisted on three others to aid the Drexel comeback. It was the first time any Dragon had scored seven points since Charlotte Wood produced eight on Mar. 14, 2012. Devin Nihill scored two, including the game-tying goal with just 27 seconds to play in regulation. Maggie Stetson and Alex Beilman also scored for the Dragons, while Caroline Thiele dished out three assists, matching her career high for points in a game. Carlee Ries came up with six saves and Rachel Warden caused a pair of turnovers to help Drexel's defense hold its fifth consecutive opponent to a single digit goal total.

The Dragons were outdone 13-7 on draws for the afternoon, but won both draws during the overtime. Drexel got off a pair of shots, but could not convert on either attempt before Kerri Puckhaber scored off a feed from Amanda Turturro with 1:10 to play in the first overtime.

Drexel found itself trailing 6-3 just 91 seconds into the second half, matching its largest deficit of the season. Despite the Scarlet Knights' dominance in draw controls, the Dragons buckled down defensively and held them off the scoreboard for nearly 17 minutes. Meanwhile, Drexel chipped away. Pelham-Lacey got the comeback started with 24:23 to play, an unassisted goal that was her third of the afternoon. Six minutes later, Thiele found her cutting across the middle for another score to get the Dragons within one at 6-5. Then, with 13:24 to go, it was Pelham-Lacey setting up Nihill for the senior's first goal of the afternoon to knot things up.

Rutgers countered with two straight over the next six minutes to retake an 8-6 lead. It stayed that way for more than five minutes as the time ticked away and neither team was able to get its offense in sync on a windy day at Vidas Field. Then, with 2:21 to play, Pelham-Lacey set up behind the goal and dished to Stetson streaking into the circle. Stetson ripped her fifth goal of the year to make it a one-goal game, and after Rutgers turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, Drexel once again turned to Pelham-Lacey to create the offense. She fed a wide open Nihill in the middle, who juked Rutgers goalkeeper Bianca Dente and put home her second of the afternoon and 11th of the season to once again pull the Dragons even with 27 seconds to play in regulation.

The Dragons had opened the scoring with Beilman's fourth goal of the year from Thiele just 1:18 into the game, but Rutgers rattled off five of the next six goals to take a 5-2 lead. Thiele and Pelham-Lacey hooked up for the first time with 7:56 to play in the first half, providing the halftime margin of 5-3.

Drexel will now have a week off before hosting Villanova in its next game next Saturday afternoon. That game, which will be the second in a stretch of five home games out of six for Drexel, will start at 1:00 p.m.