University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Georgetown
Nolan Puts UConn On Top in Final Seconds
4/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
STORRS, Conn. - The UConn women's lacrosse team downed conference rival Georgetown Wednesday after it claimed an exciting 9-8 win in the final seconds of the game. Sophomore Grace Nolan (Marcellus, N.Y.) landed the game-winning goal for the Huskies with just 17 seconds left on the clock to help preserve UConn's perfect, 6-0, Big East record.
In a low-scoring first half, the Hoyas got off to an early 2-0 lead, netting a goal 15 seconds into the contest and another just over a minute later. UConn got on the board at 22:33 after Nolan scored her first of three off a free-position shot.
After Georgetown scored again to take a 3-1 lead, UConn retaliated with four unanswered goals, three from senior Katherine Finkelston (Leonardtown, Md.) and one from senior Alexandra Crofts (Westport, Conn.).
UConn was up 5-3 with 2:30 to go in the first half, but Georgetown squeaked in one more score and only trailed the Huskies by one goal, 5-4, going into halftime.
Junior Jacqueline Jordan (Los Gatos, Calif.) opened second-half scoring to reclaim UConn's two-goal lead. After Georgetown brought it to within one again, Nolan tallied her second of the day to make it 5-7 with 17:34 to play in the game.
The Hoyas tied it up 7-7 with just over 10 minutes to play. Senior goalkeeper Shannon Nee (Lancaster, Pa.) made two crucial saves at the nine and eight minute marks to keep the Huskies in it. Nee finished with 10 saves, one ground ball and a caused turnover to earn her 12th win of the season.
With seven minutes to go and the score still tied 7-7, senior Lauren Kwasnowski (Kingston, N.Y.) went coast to coast off a UConn clear and laid a nice shot on goal but it was denied by Georgetown's keeper. Georgetown scored its third consecutive goal to retake the lead 8-7 with just six minutes remaining on the clock.
Crofts kept the Huskies alive, scoring her second of the game to tie things up, 8-8, with 3:22 to go. As the clock ran down with overtime apparent in the future, Nolan rounded out her hat trick to end the game with just 17 seconds left on the board.
UConn remains undefeated, 6-0, in Big East contests and improves to 12-2 overall while Georgetown drops to 5-9 overall with a 3-2 record in conference games.
UP NEXT…
The Huskies will hit the road for their final two games of the regular season. UConn will play Florida first on Sunday, April 24 at noon at Dizney Stadium in Gainesville.
