Sunday, February 12
Boulder, Colo.
1 p.m.
Northwestern
2-1
10
at
11
Colorado
1-0
1
2
OT
F
Northwestern
6
4
0
10
Colorado
5
5
1
11
Wildcats Fall in Overtime at Colorado, 11-10
2/12/2017 4:35:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
BOULDER, Colo. — Senior Christina Esposito scored a career-high four goals for the second time this season and classmate Catie Ingrilli notched a pair of goals for the third time in her career, but in the end No. 9 Northwestern came up one stop short in suffering its first loss of the season in overtime Sunday at Colorado, 11-10.
The two teams battled in a back-and-forth affair all game before Esposito scored her fourth of the game with just 1:10 left in regulation to tie the game, 10-10. The 'Cats had a chance to score the go-ahead goal after winning the ensuing draw control, but a turnover gave the ball back to the Buffaloes (1-0) and chaos ensued.
The Wildcats were called for a yellow card in the midfield with just 11 seconds left putting them a woman down. The Buffs moved into the attacking zone and drew a free-position opportunity with four seconds remaining, but the shot hit the pipe to send the game to overtime.
With the 'Cats a woman down to start the extra session, the Buffs were able to take advantage when Katie Macleay scored her second of the game just 55 seconds into overtime for the game winner.
Northwestern finished the game with 39 shots and put 29 of them on cage, but Paige Soenksen matched her career high with 19 stops for the Buffs in stymieing the NU attack.
Ingrilli matched her career high for the third time with a pair of first half goals, while Esposito chipped in with two of her own in the first 30 minutes to give the Wildcats a 6-5 lead at the break.
Unfortunately, the Buffs scored the first two goals of the second half while hold the 'Cats off the board for the first 12-plus minutes. Trailing 7-6, sophomore Corinne Wessels found sophomore Leighton Yenor on a woman-advantage for the second time of the game with 19:14 to go in the second half to even things up. Esposito gave the Wildcats their last lead of the game, 8-7, when she converted a free position with 12:58 to go.
The lead was short lived however as the Buffs scored back-to-back goals in a span of 20 seconds to to reclaim the lead, 9-8. Sophomore Selena Lasota scored her sixth of the season with 10:18 on the clock to tie the game again, 9-9, but the Buffs scored just 15 seconds later to take the lead back, 10-9, and set up the dramatic finish.
The Wildcats held a 13-10 advantage on the draw control and caused nine turnovers to Colorado's four, but ultimately their inability to capitalize on opportunities and Soenksen's big game proved too much to overcome.
Esposito had two ground balls, two draw controls and a pair of caused turnovers to go with her four goals as she paced the Wildcats. Wessels finished with two assists to increase her team lead to nine on the season and Fredericks led the squad with four draw controls.
Northwestern will face another west-coast test next Saturday, Feb. 12 when it travels to No. 4 USC. Opening draw is scheduled for 2 p.m CT.
The two teams battled in a back-and-forth affair all game before Esposito scored her fourth of the game with just 1:10 left in regulation to tie the game, 10-10. The 'Cats had a chance to score the go-ahead goal after winning the ensuing draw control, but a turnover gave the ball back to the Buffaloes (1-0) and chaos ensued.
The Wildcats were called for a yellow card in the midfield with just 11 seconds left putting them a woman down. The Buffs moved into the attacking zone and drew a free-position opportunity with four seconds remaining, but the shot hit the pipe to send the game to overtime.
With the 'Cats a woman down to start the extra session, the Buffs were able to take advantage when Katie Macleay scored her second of the game just 55 seconds into overtime for the game winner.
Northwestern finished the game with 39 shots and put 29 of them on cage, but Paige Soenksen matched her career high with 19 stops for the Buffs in stymieing the NU attack.
Ingrilli matched her career high for the third time with a pair of first half goals, while Esposito chipped in with two of her own in the first 30 minutes to give the Wildcats a 6-5 lead at the break.
Unfortunately, the Buffs scored the first two goals of the second half while hold the 'Cats off the board for the first 12-plus minutes. Trailing 7-6, sophomore Corinne Wessels found sophomore Leighton Yenor on a woman-advantage for the second time of the game with 19:14 to go in the second half to even things up. Esposito gave the Wildcats their last lead of the game, 8-7, when she converted a free position with 12:58 to go.
The lead was short lived however as the Buffs scored back-to-back goals in a span of 20 seconds to to reclaim the lead, 9-8. Sophomore Selena Lasota scored her sixth of the season with 10:18 on the clock to tie the game again, 9-9, but the Buffs scored just 15 seconds later to take the lead back, 10-9, and set up the dramatic finish.
The Wildcats held a 13-10 advantage on the draw control and caused nine turnovers to Colorado's four, but ultimately their inability to capitalize on opportunities and Soenksen's big game proved too much to overcome.
Esposito had two ground balls, two draw controls and a pair of caused turnovers to go with her four goals as she paced the Wildcats. Wessels finished with two assists to increase her team lead to nine on the season and Fredericks led the squad with four draw controls.
Northwestern will face another west-coast test next Saturday, Feb. 12 when it travels to No. 4 USC. Opening draw is scheduled for 2 p.m CT.
••••••
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Team Stats
NU
COLO
Shots
39
25
Turnovers
12
15
Caused Turnovers
9
4
Draw Controls
13
10
Free-Position Shots
18
9
Ground Balls
16
14
Game Leaders
Players
G
4
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
2
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
1
Players Mentioned
A
/ Women's LacrosseM
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's LacrosseA
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