Second-Half Comeback Lifts Orange Past Harvard

Saturday, March 14

DeLand, Fla.

7 pm

Syracuse University

Harvard

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

3/14/2015 9:59:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

DELAND, Fla. – Senior goalkeeper Kelsey Richardson made a save with 35 seconds remaining to preserve No. 6/5 Syracuse's one-goal lead as the Orange defeated Harvard, 11-10. The game was played at Stetson University in Deland, Fla.

The Orange used a balanced scoring attack as 10 different players recorded goals. Junior Halle Majorana scored twice, while senior Kailah Kempney and junior Erica Bodt each had a goal and an assist. In addition, senior Kayla Treanor had two assists.

Syracuse (7-2) trailed by two at halftime, but three straight goals by Kempney, sophomore Taylor Poplawski and junior Kelly Cross gave the Orange its first lead of the game at 8-7. Nekele McCall posted Harvard's first of the second half to even the score at 8-8, but freshman Riley Donahue and Majorana netted back-to-back goals to put the Orange back on top, 10-8, with 15:29 remaining.

Maeve McMahon recorded her third goal of the game to get Harvard (2-2) back within one, 10-9, at the 11:41 mark. The score stayed that way until senior Ella Thorpe scored on an assist from Kempney to extend Syracuse's lead to 11-9 with 1:23 on the clock. Harvard won the ensuing draw and McMahon's fourth goal of the game with 59 seconds left again cut the deficit to one.

Kempney controlled the ensuing draw, her 10th of the game, but Syracuse turned it over in its offensive end, giving Harvard possession. Harvard successfully cleared the ball, setting up McMahon's shot with 35 seconds left. Richardson made the save and the Orange was able to run out the clock for the victory.

"We started a little slow but battled back," said Syracuse head coach Gary Gait. "We had a chance to put them away (at the end) and didn't. We played a lot of people. It has been a long road trip and we wanted everyone to keep everyone fresh."

Harvard opened the scoring on a goal by Eliza Guild at the 25:01 mark. Majorana answered for Syracuse with her 20th goal of the season before Audrey Todd tallied her first goal of the game, sparking the Crimson on a 3-0 scoring run. Bodt halted the Harvard scoring run with a free position goal at the 16:34 mark. It was the first of three straight for the Orange as senior Gabby Jaquith and junior Lisa Rogers followed with unassisted goals as the teams were tied 5-5 with 11:05 on the clock. The squads traded goals before Harvard recorded the final two tallies of the half to take a 7-5 lead into the locker room at intermission.

Syracuse outshot Harvard, 26-22, and picked up 13 ground balls to 12 for the Crimson. Syracuse won 16-of-22 draw controls. Richardson finished with four saves, while Harvard's Kelly Weis made 12 stops.

Following three straight road games, Syracuse returns to the Carrier Dome to host Cornell on Tuesday, March 17 at 6 p.m.