Cross' OT Goal Gives #6 Orange 14-13 Win at #5 Florida

Tuesday, March 10

Gainsville, FL

6:30 pm

Syracuse University

Florida

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

Cross' OT Goal Gives #6 Orange 14-13 Win at #5 Florida

3/10/2015 10:24:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Syracuse scores in the final two minutes to force extra session.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Junior Kelly Cross scored a career-high four goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to lead No. 6/5 Syracuse to a 14-13 victory at No. 5/6 Florida. The Orange trailed by one with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, but tied the score with 1:14 on the clock to force overtime.

Syracuse (6-2) led by one, 8-7, at halftime and quickly added to its advantage with back-to-back goals by junior Halle Majorana and senior Kailah Kempney. Nora Barry scored her second goal of the game at the 26:58 mark to spark Florida (6-2) on a 4-0 scoring run, which gave the Gators its first lead of the night at 11-10. Syracuse answered with back-to-back goals by freshman Riley Donahue and Cross as the Orange went back on top, 12-11.

Carly Ross and Nicole Graziano found the back of the net for the Gators as it regained a 13-12 advantage with 12:11 on the clock. Florida won the draw following Graziano's goal and ran nearly 10 minutes off the clock before turning it over with less than two minutes remaining. The Orange took advantage and Majorana's goal at the 1:14 mark evened the score at 13-13. Syracuse had the final possession of regulation, but Florida goalkeeper Mary-Sean Wilcox stopped Kempney's shot to keep the game tied.

The Gators won the draw to start overtime, but turned it over with a minute remaining in the first three-minute OT session. Syracuse couldn't take advantage, but a Gators' yellow card gave the Orange a man-up opportunity to start the second three-minute extra period. Kempney won the draw to give SU possession. Donahue was awarded a free position but elected not to shoot, instead passing it to Cross, who found the back of the net to give Syracuse the lead for good. Kempney again won the ensuing draw and the Orange ran out the clock for the win, snapping its first two-game losing streak since 2012.

The teams traded goals to start the game before senior Loren Ziegler broke the tie at the 21:38 mark. Her goal was the first of three unanswered for the Orange as it took a 5-2 lead. The Gators came back and cut the deficit to one before senior Devon Collins and Donahue netted back-to-back goals to extend Syracuse's lead back to three with 1:57 on the clock. Florida again answered with two goals in the final 1:06 to cut Syracuse's lead to 8-7 at halftime.

Majorana finished with three goals, while Donahue had two goals and an assist. Gilroy led Florida with four goals.

Florida outshot Syracuse, 27-24, and recorded 19 ground balls to 14 for the Orange. Syracuse recorded an 18-13 advantage in draws. Syracuse goalkeeper Kelsey Richardson made eight saves and had five ground balls, while Wilcox finished with seven saves.

The Orange remains in Florida to take on Harvard on Saturday, Mar. 14 in Deland.