March 9, 2005
Nashville, Tenn. – Junior Brittany Fox (Annapolis, Md.) recorded the first three-goal game of her career and freshman Caitlin McKinney (Lafayette Hill, Pa.) continued her fast start with two goals and two assists but it wasn’t enough as the Vanderbilt Commodores defeated Notre Dame, 10-9 in overtime, Wednesday afternoon at the VU Lacrosse Complex.
The Irish fell behind early in the game, trailing by 5-1 and 6-2 margins in the first half only to rally and to tie the score midway through the second half at 8-7. After Vanderbilt regained the lead, McKinney would tie the game with 5:32 left at 9-9. In the extra stanza, Vanderbilt’s Jennifer Tapscott scored her second of the game just 2:22 into the six-minute overtime and the Commodores held on from there for the 10-9 win.
The loss was the third in a row for the Irish who fall to 1-3 on the year. Vanderbilt improves to 1-1 on the season.
Joining Fox and McKinney on the score sheet for the Irish were freshmen Mary Carpenter (Rochester, N.Y.) with two goals and Heather Ferguson (Newtown Square, Pa.) with one. Senior Jackie Bowers (Springfield, Pa.) gave Notre Dame its only lead of the game with a free-position goal 12:32 into the second half.
Vanderbilt was led by Kate Hickman who scored the Commodores first four goals of the game and Kendall Thrift who had a goal and four assists for five points on the afternoon. Tapscott scored twice, including the game winner while Meg Spies, Ashley Paschall and Nicole Pugno had single goals for Vanderbilt.
Hickman started the scoring just 3:39 into the first half and was answered by Ferguson for Notre Dame just 28 seconds later at 4:07. From there Hickman and Thrift took over.
Hickman scored the next three goals of the game, all off assists by Thrift, making it 4-1 just 10:24 into the opening half. Thrift scored her lone goal of the afternoon at 19:44 for a commanding 5-1 lead.
Fox started the Irish on the comeback trail with her first of three just 15 seconds later to make it a 5-2 game. Pugno extended the lead to four goals again at 22:40 before the Irish ran off the final three goals of the half with Fox, McKinney and Carpenter cutting the lead to 6-5 at halftime.
Tapscott scored her first of the game just 2:41 into the second half to give Vandy a 7-5 lead. From there, the Irish surged ahead.
Carpenter’s second goal of the game at 9:32 made it 7-6 and Fox picked up the game-tying goal a little over a minute later at 10:36.
Bowers’ free-position goal at 12:32 gave Notre Dame its first lead at 8-7 and they held the one-goal edge for almost seven minutes before Meg Spies scored on a free-position shot for Vanderbilt at 19:14 of the half to make it an 8-8 game.
The Commodores would retake the lead at 23:04 on Paschall’s only goal of the game but McKinney’s second marker of the afternoon tied the game at 9-9 with 5:32 left in the second half. The score would stay that way until Tapscott scored the lone goal of overtime for the Vanderbilt victory.
The Irish out shot the Commodores, 30-29, on the day. Carol Dixon (Sr., Pennsauken, N.J.) made 10 saves in the Notre Dame goal while Ashley Bastinelli had 12 stops for Vanderbilt.
Notre Dame closes out its Spring Break trip on Sunday, March 13 when the Irish travel to Harrisonburg, Va., to face 16th-ranked James Madison. Game time is set for 12:00 noon.
Game Summary: 1 2 OT - FNotre Dame (1-3) 5 4 0 - 9Vanderbilt (1-1) 6 3 1 - 10
SCORINGNOTRE DAME:GOALS: Brittany Fox (3), Caitlin McKinney (2), Mary Carpenter (2), Heather Ferguson (1), Jackie Bowers (1).ASSISTS: Caitlin McKinney (2), Brittany Fox (1).
VANDERBILT:GOALS: Kate Hickman (4), Jennifer Tapscott (2), Kendall Thrift (1), Meg Spies (1), Ashley Paschall (1), Nicole Pugno.ASSISTS: Kendall Thrift (4), Margie Curran (1), Bryn Sedlacek (1).
First Half ScoringTeam Time Score Goal AssistVU 3:39 0-1 Kate HickmanND 4:07 1-1 Heather Ferguson Caitlin McKinneyVU 5:08 1-2 Kate Hickman (2) Kendall ThriftVU 7:57 1-3 Kate Hickman (3) Kendall Thrift (2)VU 10:24 1-4 Kate Hickman (4) Kendall Thrift (3)VU 19:44 * 1-5 Kendall Thrift Free-position shotND 19:59 2-5 Brittany FoxVU 22:40 2-6 Nicole PugnoND 24:55 3-6 Brittany Fox (2) Caitlin McKinney (2)ND 26:08 * 4-6 Caitlin McKinney Free-position shotND 26:33 5-6 Mary Carpenter
Second Half ScoringTeam Time Score Goal AssistVU 2:41 5-7 Jennifer Tapscott Margie CurranND 9:32 6-7 Mary Carpenter (2) Brittany FoxND 10:36 7-7 Brittany Fox (3)ND 12:32 * 8-7 Jackie Bowers Free-position shotVU 19:14 * 8-8 Meg Spies Free-position shotVU 23:04 8-9 Ashley Paschall Bryn SedlacekND 24:28 9-9 Caitlin McKinney (2)
OvertimeVU 2:22 9-10 Jennifer Tapscott (2)
* denotes free position goal
GoalkeepersND: Carol Dixon (66:00 min; 10 goals against; 10 saves)VU: Ashley Bastinelli (66:00 min; 9 goals against, 12 saves)
Shots On Goal: ND - 30; VU - 29
Ground balls: ND - 29; VU - 18
Draw Controls: ND - 10; VU - 12
Caused Turnovers: ND - 8; VU - 8