Nov. 2, 2012
| | | Scoring Summary | | Player | Assist | Time | | LC - DiCroce | Machalick | 00:40 | | CU - Reddicliffe | Biggar | 15:27 | | LC - Machalick | Seybert | 40:28 | | CU - Jensen | Libutti | 42:19 | | LC - Seybert | Valeo, DiCroce | 49:26 | | CU - Jensen | Libutti | 67:16 | | LC - Keenan | Seybert | 81:52 |
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| | | | Goalkeepers | | Player | Mins | GA | S | | CU - DiDomizio | 81:52 | 4 | 14 | | LC - Deutsch | 81:52 | 3 | 2 |
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EASTON, Pa. -
Haley Keenan's deflection into the top corner of the cage propelled first-seeded Lafayette into the Patriot League Championship as the Leopards advanced past No. 4 Colgate in overtime on Friday afternoon at Rappolt Field.
The goal, Keenan's 10
th of the year, came 11:52 into overtime off a corner and a pass from
Jenna Seybert to give Lafayette the 4-3 victory. Seybert led Lafayette with five points on a goal and two assists.
"Overtime wins are great, because they always feel good under a bit of pressure," head coach Andrew Griffiths said. "It's been a few games since we've had a bit of pressure, so it feels great coming away with the win."
It took 40 seconds for Lafayette to score the first goal of the contest. Senior
Maria Machalick manuvered her way through several Colgate defenders before passing across the goal mouth for classmate
Deanna DiCroce. The Patriot League's Offensive Player of the Year tipped the ball into the empty cage. DiCroce's tally was her League-leading 16
th of the season.
Fifteen minutes in, Colgate answered Lafayette's goal when Halle Biggar fed a pass to Anna Reddicliffe on the right side. She slotted a shot past Lafayette goalie
Jessica Deutsch, leveling the score at a goal apiece. The goal was the first Lafayette surrendered in 420:03 of game action, dating back to the Leopards' regular-season meeting with the Raiders on Oct. 6.
Despite outshooting Colgate 11-3 in the first half, the two sides were tied 1-1 at the break as Colgate's Amanda DiDomizio made five saves in the first 35 minutes.
Five and a half minutes into the second stanza, Lafayette regained its advantage off a corner play. DiCroce inserted the corner to
Emily Valeo and Seybert. Seybert ripped a shot from the top of the circle that was deflected by Machalick into the cage netting behind DiDomizio.
Colgate once again tied the score less than two minutes later off a corner of its own. Adrianna Libutti inserted the ball to Kelsey Jensen, who took a touch and fired a shot into Deutsch, but it deflected into the back of the cage.
Lafayette earned another corner seven minutes later, and capitalized on the chance. DiCroce fed Valeo to set up a blast from Seybert that went just inside the right post, giving the Leopards a 3-2 lead.
The Raiders battled back to even the game for the third time with 2:24 to play on an identical corner play from Libutti and Jensen.
Lafayette had a chance on a penalty stroke with a minute remaining in regulation, but Valeo's stroke missed wide.
Lafayette dominated the game statistically, outshooting Colgate 28-7. The Leopards also took 19 corners, compared to Colgate's two. DiDomizio finished with 14 saves for Colgate, including three in overtime.
The Leopards will host the winner of the other semifinal matchup between No. 2 American and No. 3 Bucknell on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
Game Notes:
Lafayette has won 14 consecutive games
Seybert and Keenan joined DiCroce as Lafayette players with 10 goals this season
