SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Junior Brooke LaVallee secured the draw to start overtime and sophomore Charlotte Taylor scored the golden goal moments later to help the Skidmore College women's lacrosse team successfully pull off the 11-10 comeback victory over Westfield State under rainy conditions on Wednesday evening.  

Down by two goals with under three minutes left in regulation, the Thoroughbreds (2-2) junior duo of Grace deBenedictis and Lily Hudner delivered with a pair of clutch goals to force overtime, where Taylor shut the door on the Owls (0-2) in the opening minute of the extra frame to seal the much needed come-from-behind victory.  

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Owls began the game with two quick goals in the first five minutes of the quarter, before Skidmore responded with a pair of unassisted goals in under 30 seconds from junior Julia Cafasso and senior Elizabeth Walsh to make things 2-2 at the 9:14 mark.
• In response, Westfield State regained the two-goal advantage after consecutive goals that included a man-up score at the 4:51 mark to go up 4-2 in the frame.
• Rounding out a high-scoring first period, Skidmore sophomore Phoebe Ross was on the receiving end of a Cafasso assist to cut the deficit in half entering the second.
• In the second period, the Thoroughbreds would take a 5-4 lead after a pair of unassisted goals from Cafasso and Hudner at the 10:25 and 3:30 marks, respectively.
• Westfield State would tie things up at five apiece in the final minute of the first half on another man-up goal.
• Coming out of halftime, the senior duo of Lily Schwartzman and Walsh both found the back of the net to give Skidmore a 7-6 lead with 9:05 remaining in the quarter.
• However, it was Westfield State who closed out the period strong by scoring three unanswered goals to take a 9-7 lead heading into the fourth period.
• With 10:00 minutes remaining in regulation, Taylor cut the Skidmore deficit in half with her first goal of the game.
• After neither team would score for much of the period, the Owls seemingly had Skidmore on the ropes after a goal at the 3:30 mark to make it a two-score game.
• Playing perfectly down the stretch, the Thoroughbreds would force overtime with consecutive scores before sealing the game in the first minute of overtime off the stick of Taylor.  

STANDOUT THOROUGHBREDS

• Taylor finished with two goals, three draw controls, one groundball and one caused turnover.
• Walsh scored a pair of goals to go with a team-best four draw controls, one caused turnover and a groundball.
• Hudner recorded two goals to go with three draw controls.
• Cafasso scored twice to go with an assist while also causing a team-high three turnovers.

UP NEXT
The Thoroughbreds will travel to Clearwater, Florida next week for a pair of Spring Break matches against Swarthmore at 10 AM on Monday and Marymount at 9:30 AM on Wednesday.