Orange Punch Ticket to Championship Weekend!

Saturday, May 21

Syracuse, NY

3 p.m.

Syracuse University

19-5

USC

20-1

USC

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

5/21/2016 7:05:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 4 Syracuse is returning to championship weekend for the fifth straight year after defeating No. 5 USC, 12-11, in overtime in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament. Graduate student Allie Murray made a save with nine seconds left in regulation to keep the game tied, and senior Kelly Cross tallied the game winner in the first extra session to punch the Orange's ticket to the national semifinals.

Syracuse will face either No. 1 Maryland or Massachusetts on Friday, May 27 at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa. The national semifinals are set for 5 and 7:30 p.m.

"It was an amazing game," said Syracuse head coach Gary Gait. "(It was) back and forth, a game of runs. I thought USC was an amazing team. They certainly showed why they were 20-0 (coming into the game). In the back of my head the number was 12, and it ended up being 12. That's the first time anybody's put 12 up on them this year. It was key to get opportunities to put the ball into the back of the net and make sure it wasn't a nine- or 10-goal game."

Neither team could pull away as the game featured seven ties, including a 5-5 score at halftime. Amanda Johansen and Cynthia De Core netted back-to-back goals in the first six minutes of the second half as USC (20-1) took its largest lead of the game at 7-5. Senior Kayla Treanor appeared to have cut the deficit to one, but she was called for a dangerous follow through, resulting in a yellow card.

The Orange (19-5) successfully killed off the penalty and got within one on Cross' goal on an assist from senior Halle Majorana at the 19:49 mark. Majorana then netted back-to-back goals to give Syracuse an 8-7 advantage. The first came on a shot to the top right corner of the goal and the second was a low bounce shot.

Johansen tallied her fourth goal of the game to even the score again at 8-8 at the 14:32 mark, but Syracuse regained the lead less than a minute later when senior Erica Bodt scored on an assist from Majorana. It was the first of three straight for the Orange as they took their largest lead of the game at 11-8 with 8:41 left in regulation. Treanor followed Bodt's goal with her second of the day off an assist from redshirt sophomore Taylor Gait and then found the back of the net again off an assist from sophomore Riley Donahue with 8:41 on the clock.

Del Core started USC's comeback attempt with an unassisted goal at the 5:54 mark. Michaela Michael followed with her second of the day to cut Syracuse's lead to one, 11-10, with 3:18 on the clock. The Trojans called for a stick check and freshman Nicole Levy's stick was deemed illegal, resulting in a two-minute non-releasable penalty. USC took advantage and Del Core tied the game at 11-11with 1:53 on the clock.

The Trojans won the ensuing draw and held for the last shot, but Murray stopped Johansen's attempt with nine seconds on the clock to send the game to overtime.

USC won the draw to start the extra session, but senior Mallory Vehar caused a turnover and sophomore Kathy Rudkinpicked up the ground ball to give Syracuse possession. After an Orange timeout, Syracuse successfully worked the ball into its offensive end and Majorana found a cutting Cross, who buried her shot to send Syracuse to the national semifinals for the seventh time in the last nine years.

"I give the defense a lot of credit, coming through when we really, really needed it and getting that last stop. I'm very proud of the entire team, but especially all of the seniors, who played their last game in the Carrier Dome."

Majorana led Syracuse with six points (3g, 3a), while Treanor finished with five points (3g, 2a). She now has 392 career points, which is four behind Syracuse's all-time leading scorer Katie Rowan, who posted 396 points from 2006-09. Treanor also moved into sixth place on the NCAA Division I all-time goals list 259. Johansen finished with six points for USC. Michael, who is ranked second in the nation in scoring, finished with two points.

USC outshot Syracuse, 25-19, and picked up 13 ground balls to 12 for the Orange. The Trojans also recorded a 14-11 advantage in the draw circle. Treanor finished with nine, giving her 206 this season, which is just 10 shy of the NCAA Division I single-season record. Murray finished with eight saves, while Gussie Johns, who entered the game with the lowest goals-against average in the nation (5.71), made four stops. Vehar led a strong defensive effort three caused turnovers and two ground balls. She also recorded her first assist of the season.