Lehigh University
Bucknell
Lehigh falls to Bucknell in overtime, 12-11
3/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After leading 11-7 with 17:37 remaining in regulation, Lehigh went scoreless the rest of the way as Bucknell downed the Mountain Hawks 12-11 in overtime on Saturday afternoon in the 2009 Patriot League opener at the Ulrich Sports Complex. Bucknell’s Bonnie Buechel scored the game-winner with only 27 ticks remaining in the overtime session to lift the Bison to the victory and improve their record to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in league action. Freshman Kelly Draper netted a game-high four scores for the Mountain Hawks who fall to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the league following the setback.
Lehigh outshot Bucknell by 12, 37-25, led by Inneke Carmola’s nine attempts. Freshman Lauren Murray scooped up six of Lehigh’s 39 ground balls, while Dykstra and Draper both picked up five. Senior Sarah Fudin tied with Carmola for the team lead in caused turnovers with three, and in goal junior Kelsy Ferris stopped nine Bison shots in 69 minutes of action.
Bucknell registered 31 ground balls as a team, led by Julia Braun with eight and Buechel who scooped up five. Five different Bucknell players caused one turnover each, and Braun won a game-high eight draw controls. Bison goal keeper Alyssa DeLorenz stopped 13 Lehigh shot, including six in each of the two regulation halves and one in the extra session.
“It’s a very disappointing loss,” Lehigh head coach Jill Redfern said afterwards. “I thought Bucknell was patient and disciplined, and in the end that paid off for them. We certainly had our chances, but we could not put one into the net.” She added, “I thought the Bucknell goal keeper was a real difference maker out there for them today.”
Michelle Milot opened the scoring for Bucknell with a goal just 50 seconds into the contest, but Dykstra and Sara MacIntyre answered with back-to-back scores for the Mountain Hawks to give Lehigh a 2-1 lead with 15:45 remaining before halftime. Milot then tied the game at two with her third score of the season, but from there Lehigh ripped off four straight goals, including two from Draper and one apiece from Dykstra and Meagan Tenety. That run made the score 6-2 with just over 11 minutes remaining in the opening half. Lauren Peyser scored her first goal of the season for Bucknell at the three-minute mark, which made the score 6-3 and things would remain that way when the teams retired for intermission.
Draper opened the second half with her third score of the day to give Lehigh a four-goal cushion, but Ryan Grippon answered for the visitors with a goal of her own to make the score 7-4. Draper scored on a free position shot with 24:29 on the clock to give Lehigh a four-goal advantage once again, but Braun and Milot netted back-to-back goals for Bucknell to make it an 8-6 game with 23:06 left to go.
Lehigh scored three of the game’s next four goals, including one from MacIntyre, one from Dykstra and another from sophomore Allison Thomas which gave the home team a comfortable 11-7 lead with 17:37 to go. Unfortunately for the Mountain Hawks, that was the last time they would score all afternoon as Buechel pulled the Bison to within three, and Carol Donohue scored the final three goals of regulation, including one with 5:20 on the clock to tie things up at 11.
The two teams then headed for overtime where the game plan was to hold for one shot. Bucknell won the draw control at the start of overtime and held the ball for nearly the entire three-minute session. Fudin forced the Bison into a turnover however and time ran out, sending the teams into the second three-minute period.
Lehigh won the draw control to start this period, and like Bucknell, the Mountain Hawks passed the ball around and waited for time to elapse. Dykstra tried to make her way towards the goal, but was fouled, setting the Lehigh sophomore up with a free position shot with only 12 ticks on the clock. DeLorenz was more than up to the challenge however, as she stuffed Dykstra’s shot and sent the teams into a sudden victory OT period.
Lehigh again won the draw control and gained possession, but Thomas’ shot was off the mark and Bucknell began its march down the field. It looked as though time may run out on this possession for the Bison, but Buechel muscled her way towards the goal and beat Ferris with a shot, sending the visitors to the dramatic victory.
Lehigh returns to action on Wednesday afternoon when the Mountain Hawks play host to the Fairfield Stags at the Ulrich Sports Complex. Game time is set for 3:30 and all of the action will be broadcast live on Lehighsports.com.
