Story and Photos by Thomas Zhou Syracuse, N.Y-
Erica Bodt's equalizer and Kelsey Richardson's save sent the game to overtime, but Notre Dame's two goals in 12 seconds afterward made Syracuse's 66-minute efforts futile.
The No. 7 Syracuse women's lacrosse team (9-5, 3-2 ACC) lost to No. 13 Notre Dame (8-5, 3-3 ACC) on Tuesday night at the Carrier Dome.
Rachel Sexton and Caitlin Gargan scored in a 12-second stretch in the first overtime period for the Fighting Irish. Although Devon Collins scored her third goal of the game to cut the lead to one, ND goalie, Liz O'Sullivan, saved Kayla Treanor's free-position shot near the end of the game to seal the win.
O'Sullivan finished the game with nine saves, including seven in the second half of the regulation when Syracuse outshot Notre Dame, 18-11.
Both Collins and Taylor Gait had three goals for the Orange. Halle Majorana and Treanor led the team with four assists. Syracuse connected on only two of its 12 free-position shots. The Orange failed to convert three free-position opportunities in the second overtime period.
"Just stepping up to that line," SU head coach Gary Gait said of free-position shots. "Knowing what you are going to do and having confidence. We did not do that today."
A Fierce Regulation
Notre Dame scored its first two shot attempts. Stephanie Toy and Cortney Fortunato's goals gave the Irish a 2-0 lead six minutes into the game.
Syracuse responded with a 4-0 run in which Treanor, Majorana, Lisa Rogers, and Collins each found the back of the cage once.
Casey Pearsall's goal ended the Irish's 20-minute scoreless drought. Then Sexton tied the game at four with a buzzer beater. Notre Dame's bench players ran to the field to celebrate the goal at the end of the first half.
"We practiced it," ND head coach Christine Halfpenny said. "So I wasn't super surprised but to be honest, the way the clock was going, it was so close. I felt like this is March Madness."
Majorana caught a Treanor pass in the air and scored putting Syracuse up again at the 25:37 mark in the second half. But that was the last time Syracuse led.
After Notre Dame had three goals in a row, both teams scored twice. The Irish nursed a two-point lead until Gait and Treanor came through for the Orange. Gait, cutting through the defense, scored twice off Treanor's assists to tie the score at nine.
O'Surllivan then made two saves in 10 seconds, not letting the Orange go up. After O'Sullivan rejected another free-position shot, Heidi Annaheim scored a transition goal for the Irish to reclaim the lead. Bodt, the Syracuse midfielder who had scored at least once in the previous eight games, got her only goal of the night to even the score at ten at the 2:31 mark.
As the time ran out at the end of regulation, the Irish, as they had done in the first half, launched a shot. Only this time, Richardson rejected it.
O'Sullivan finished the game with nine saves, including seven in the second half of the regulation when Syracuse outshot Notre Dame, 18-11.
Both Collins and Taylor Gait had three goals for the Orange. Halle Majorana and Treanor led the team with four assists. Syracuse connected on only two of its 12 free-position shots. The Orange failed to convert three free-position opportunities in the second overtime period.
"Just stepping up to that line," SU head coach Gary Gait said of free-position shots. "Knowing what you are going to do and having confidence. We did not do that today."
A Fierce Regulation
Notre Dame scored its first two shot attempts. Stephanie Toy and Cortney Fortunato's goals gave the Irish a 2-0 lead six minutes into the game.
Syracuse responded with a 4-0 run in which Treanor, Majorana, Lisa Rogers, and Collins each found the back of the cage once.
Casey Pearsall's goal ended the Irish's 20-minute scoreless drought. Then Sexton tied the game at four with a buzzer beater. Notre Dame's bench players ran to the field to celebrate the goal at the end of the first half.
"We practiced it," ND head coach Christine Halfpenny said. "So I wasn't super surprised but to be honest, the way the clock was going, it was so close. I felt like this is March Madness."
Majorana caught a Treanor pass in the air and scored putting Syracuse up again at the 25:37 mark in the second half. But that was the last time Syracuse led.
After Notre Dame had three goals in a row, both teams scored twice. The Irish nursed a two-point lead until Gait and Treanor came through for the Orange. Gait, cutting through the defense, scored twice off Treanor's assists to tie the score at nine.
O'Surllivan then made two saves in 10 seconds, not letting the Orange go up. After O'Sullivan rejected another free-position shot, Heidi Annaheim scored a transition goal for the Irish to reclaim the lead. Bodt, the Syracuse midfielder who had scored at least once in the previous eight games, got her only goal of the night to even the score at ten at the 2:31 mark.
As the time ran out at the end of regulation, the Irish, as they had done in the first half, launched a shot. Only this time, Richardson rejected it.
Irish Capitalized on shots in overtime
Both teams had three shots in the overtime.
Sexton fired near the post to gain her third goal of the night, 66 seconds into the overtime. Twelve seconds later, Gargan scored off an Annaheim assist.
Collins beat O'Sullivan one last time on Syracuse's first shot attempt in the overtime. However, Bodt's free-position shot went off the post and O'Sullivan stopped Treanor's.
"Shoot, let's talk about Liz O'Sullivan," Halfpenny said. "Stone cold stopped that opportunity for Syracuse to even it up again. I couldn't be more excited about that."
Coach Gait placed his hope in the future.
"We have plenty of opportunities to tie games and win games," Gait said. "We just stop making plays right now. We just hope to keep positive energy and when it really counts, we will make those plays."
Both teams had three shots in the overtime.
Sexton fired near the post to gain her third goal of the night, 66 seconds into the overtime. Twelve seconds later, Gargan scored off an Annaheim assist.
Collins beat O'Sullivan one last time on Syracuse's first shot attempt in the overtime. However, Bodt's free-position shot went off the post and O'Sullivan stopped Treanor's.
"Shoot, let's talk about Liz O'Sullivan," Halfpenny said. "Stone cold stopped that opportunity for Syracuse to even it up again. I couldn't be more excited about that."
Coach Gait placed his hope in the future.
"We have plenty of opportunities to tie games and win games," Gait said. "We just stop making plays right now. We just hope to keep positive energy and when it really counts, we will make those plays."
Up next
Syracuse will travel to face North Carolina this weekend. The game starts at noon on Saturday April 11.
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