April 6, 2002
Storrs, Conn. – The 11th-ranked Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team scored six times in the final 14:36 of the game to rally from an 8-6 deficit on the way to a 12-9 win at the University of Connecticut Saturday afternoon.
Meredith Simon (So., Flemington, N.J.) and Danielle Shearer (Jr., Hampstead, Md.) each scored three goals while Natalie Loftus (Sr., Baltimore, Md.) and Kate Marotta (So., Columbus, Ohio) scored a pair of key second half goals in the win for Notre Dame. Connecticut was led offensively by Tracy Mullaney who scored four goals and added an assist for a five-point game.
After Mullaney opened the game for the Huskies with her first goal of the afternoon at 22:19, the Irish scored four straight. Lauren Fischer (So., Pittsburgh, Pa.) tied the game with a free-position goal 37 seconds later. Simon made it 2-1 with her first of the afternoon and Shearer scored twice to make it 4-1 with 14:53 left in the half.
Mullaney (14:42) cut the lead to 4-2 and Abby VanDuesen got the final goal of the first half with 6:09 left to cut the Notre Dame lead to 4-3 at the half.
Connecticut took over the lead as the Huskies scored the first three goals of the second half for a 6-4 edge. Karlane Lauri (27:36) tied the game at 4-4 and Mullaney (27:07) got her third of the game to give UConn the 5-4 edge. Pam Lowie (24:37) gave the Huskies a 6-4 lead before the Irish could find their offensive attack.
Loftus stopped UConn’s scoring run with her first of the game at 22:35, but Mullaney answered back at 17:41 with her fourth to make it 7-5. Loftus wasted little time in getting that goal back as she scored off the ensuing draw just eight seconds later to cut the lead to one for the second time in five minutes at 7-6.
Kelly Feely upped the lead to 8-6 at 15:39 before Notre Dame’s offense awoke to score the next six goals over a 10-minute period to ensure the victory.
Shearer (14:36) wrapped up her three-goal afternoon to cut the lead to 8-7 and Marotta (11:51) got her first of the afternoon as she converted an Andrea Kinnik (So., West Chester, Pa.) feed to tie the game at 8-8. Simon put the Irish ahead to stay with 9:45 left, before Alissa Moser (Sr., North Wales, Pa.) scored a free-position goal at 7:03 for a 10-8 lead.
Simon (4:37) and Marotta (4:08) closed out the Notre Dame scoring and Feeley got her second of the game for the final score of 12-9.
On the afternoon, the Irish outshot the Huskies 32-24. Jen White (Jr., Annapolis, Md.) made nine saves in the game while giving up nine goals. UConn’s April Pollock made 17 stops for the Huskies.
The win improves Notre Dame to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in BIG EAST play. Connecticut falls to 3-5 overall and 0-2 in league play.
The Irish return to action on Tuesday, April 9 when they travel to Columbus, Ohio to face 13th-ranked Ohio State. Game time versus the Buckeyes is 4:00 p.m.
Game Summary
First-Half Scoring
Team Time Score Goal Assist
UC 22:19 0-1 Tracy Mullaney
ND 21:42 * 1-1 Lauren Fischer
ND 21:30 2-1 Meredith Simon
ND 18:53 3-1 Danielle Shearer
ND 14:53 4-1 Danielle Shearer
UC 14:42 4-2 Tracy Mullaney
UC 6:09 4-3 Abby VanDuesen Bonnie Wehringer
Second-Half Scoring
Team Time Score Goal Assist
UC 27:36 4-4 Kariane Lauri Tracy Mullaney
UC 27:07 4-5 Tracy Mullaney
UC 24:37 4-6 Pam Lowie Bonnie Wehringer
ND 22:35 5-6 Natalie Loftus
UC 17:41 5-7 Tracy Mullaney Pam Lowie
ND 17:33 6-7 Natalie Loftus
UC 15:39 6-8 Kelly Feeley
ND 14:36 7-8 Danielle Shearer
ND 11:51 8-8 Kate Marotta Andrea Kinnik
ND 9:45 9-8 Meredith Simon Danielle Shearer
ND 7:03 * 10-8 Alissa Moser
ND 4:37 11-8 Meredith Simon Kate Marotta
ND 4:08 12-8 Kate Marotta Kelly McCardell
UC 3:10 12-9 Kelly Feeley
* indicates free position goal
Scoring: 1st 2nd Final
Notre Dame (8-1, 4-0) 4 8 12
Connecticut (3-5, 0-2) 3 6 9
Shots on Goal
ND 14 -18 – 32
UC 10 -14 – 24
Goalkeepers
ND: Jen White, (60:00 min., 9 goals, 9 saves)
SU: April Pollock, (60:00 min., 12 goals, 17 saves)