WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (March 20, 2015)—The William and Mary lacrosse team extended its winning streak to three games with a thrilling overtime victory against in-state rival Richmond, 11-10, on Friday evening at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field.
Senior Ellen Shaffrey provided the game-winner with her game-high fifth goal of the contest off an assist from freshman Danielle Palmucci with 1:20 remaining in the overtime period. Junior goalie Meredith Crizer also came up with a huge play late in the victory, as she saved a shot on goal by UR's Emily Newman shortly after Shaffrey's final score.
In addition to her five goals, Shaffrey totaled three draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover. Freshman Abby Corkum also provided significant offensive production with three points (2g, 1a). Defensively, sophomore Julia McGrath recorded four ground balls and two caused turnovers, while classmate Abby Junior added three ground balls, three caused turnovers and a pair of draw controls.
The tightly contested matchup was a game of runs for much of the contest before going back and fourth down the stretch.
After the Tribe (3-4) got on the scoreboard first with a goal by junior Michelle Goss (23:04), Richmond (3-6) responded with four unanswered scores to lead, 4-1, with 7:14 remaining in the opening half.
However, W&M charged back with a 5-0 run of its own to build a 6-4 advantage midway through the second half. Shaffrey keyed the run with three goals to begin the second stanza, while Palmucci and Corkum bookended the impressive stretch with scores.
Then, as it did in first half, UR charged back with another 4-0 run to go ahead, 8-6, with 11:55 showing on the clock.
After knotting the count at 8-8 with scores by Shaffrey (10:16) and sophomore Shannon Quinn (7:31), W&M was forced to answer Richmond goals twice more down the stretch. Corkum found the back of the cage at 5:27 to tie the game at 9-9, while Goss provided the equalizer at 10-10 with just 0:49 left.
W&M (3-4) looked as if it might win the game in regulation, but junior Zoe Boger's shot as the buzzer sounded missed just wide left of the goal.
Richmond had an opportunity to take a lead the waning seconds of the initial 3-minute segment of overtime, but Charlett Stevenson's score was not allowed after finding the back of the net just after the horn had sounded.
The College outshot UR, 27-18, while both teams totaled 18 ground balls. The Spiders held a 14-11 edge in draw controls.
Emily Doyle led Richmond with five points (3g, 2a), while Anna Jeszeck added four points (3g, 1a).
The Tribe will look to extend its winning streak to four games when it hosts Gardner-Webb on Sunday at noon.
