Overtime Goal Lifts #3 Florida By #2 Orange

Tuesday, March 1

12 pm

Syracuse University

5-1

Florida

4-0

Florida

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

3/1/2016 4:07:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 3/3 Florida scored an empty-net goal 1:06 into overtime to defeat No. 2/2 Syracuse, 11-10, in the Carrier Dome on Tuesday, March 1. The setback snaps the Orange's five-game winning streak to start the season.

Syracuse won the draw in its defensive end to start overtime and immediately called timeout. The Orange worked the ball upfield, but Mollie Stevens knocked the ball out of goalkeeper Allie Murray's stick 10 yards outside Syracuse's offensive zone and Sammi Burgess picked up the ground ball to give Florida possession. Burgess started the fastbreak and was fouled at the 12-yard line. On the restart, Burgess passed to a wide open Stevens on the left side, who fired her shot into the empty net to give the Gators the victory.

"It was a solid game with two extremely good teams," said Syracuse head coach Gary Gait. "You make mistakes and you pay the price. We made too many mistakes and that is what the game ended up coming down to. The defenses were playing well on both sides, getting stops, getting turnovers. The team that ended up getting the last turnover ended up winning. I think we have a lot to work on and a lot to learn from this game."

Florida (5-0) scored the first three goals of the game, but Syracuse (5-1) answered with four straight goals to take on a one-goal advantage. Freshman Nicole Levy scored twice during the run. Florida responded with three unanswered goals to end the half and take a 6-4 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Syracuse freshman Emily Resnick and sophomore Riley Donahue tallied back-to-back goals to start the second half and again tie the score at 6-6. The squads traded goals before Donahue scored on an assist from Kayla Treanor at the 21:08 mark. Treanor followed with an unassisted goal and Levy converted a free position attempt for her third goal of the game to give the Orange its largest lead of the day at 9-7 with 18:36 remaining.

The Gators wouldn't go away and recorded two consecutive goals to once again take a one-goal advantage. But the Orange answered at the 2:46 mark when senior Halle Majorana tied the score at 10-10 with her first goal of the day. The Orange had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but Florida goalkeeper Mary-Sean Wilcox made her ninth save of the day on senior Kelly Cross' shot with 19 seconds on the clock to send the game to overtime.

Syracuse recorded 25 shots and 15 ground balls to 24 shots and 20 ground balls for Florida. Treanor recorded 13 draw controls to help the Orange to a 17-6 advantage in the circle. It marks the fourth time this season she has reached double figures in draw controls.

Syracuse goes on the road for the first time this season when it opens ACC play on Saturday, March 5 at No. 7/7 Virginia at 1 p.m. in Charlottesville, Va.