Junior Mikayla Couch scored three goals, including a pair to spark a late Stonehill rally to force overtime. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Asper has a role in all three OT goals for the Mocs, finishes with seven points
LAKELAND, Fla. (March 15, 2014) – Florida Southern College, ranked 10th in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, scored the first three goals in the opening half of overtime and held on in the final three minutes to claim a 12-11 overtime triumph against 7th-ranked Stonehill College in non-conference women's lacrosse action at Bryant Stadium this afternoon.
Junior Megan Asper (Parkton, Md./Hereford) played a role in all three overtime goals for Florida Southern and finished with seven points on five goals and two assists, converting 3-of-4 free-position attempts and adding three ground balls and three draw controls. She scored the Mocs first two overtime goals and assisted on the third as the hosts netted the first three markers of the first three minute half of the overtime frame. Junior Caitlin Chase (Mount Laurel, N.J./Holy Cross) added six points with four goals and two assists, including what proved to be the deciding goal three minutes into overtime.
Sophomore Ashley Robertson (Ellicott City, Md./Mount de Sales Academy) added a goal and assist for two points for Florida Southern, while junior Meghan Colucci (Gloucester, R.I./Saint Mary Academy Bay View) and freshman Chloe Cabigas (Maitland, Fla./Bishop Moore Catholic) chipped in with a goal apiece. Freshman Marissa Clements (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) forced five turnovers and collected three ground balls for the Mocs.
Senior Katie Hammerer (California, Md./Leonardtown) preserved the win for Florida Southern with 15 saves, including two in overtime after posting ten in the second half, as Stonehill finished with a 35-27 advantage in shots for the contest. Junior Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) made seven stops in the Skyhawks goal. Stonehill held a 15-11 edge in draw controls, but was just 1-for-4 on free-position shots compared to 3-for-7 for the Mocs.
Senior Kelsey Shannahan netted three goals, her third drew the Skyhawks back within one with 1:56 remaining in overtime. (PHOTO BY Andrew Katsampes) |
Senior Kelsey Shannahan (Mendham, N.H./Morris Catholic) and juniors Brooke Rudden (Hopkinton, Mass./Hopkinton) and Mikayla Couch (Towaco, N.J./DePaul Catholic) all netted three goals in the contest for Stonehill. Shannahan and Rudden both chipped in with a pair of ground balls, while Couch had a draw control. Junior Keri Gould (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury) dished out a pair of assists for the Skyhawks, while classmate Lizzie Lane (Sandwich, Mass./Bishop Stang) and freshman Elizabeth Vetter (Great River, N.Y./East Islip) netted a goal apiece.
Stonehill scored the final three goals in the final 7:34 of regulation, including a pair from Couch, to force overtime. Asper took advantage of a Skyhawks foul and converted a free-position shot 23-seconds into overtime for an early Florida Southern advantage. She extended the Florida Southern lead with an unassisted marker with 3:35 remaining and then set up Chase with 3:08 left for a three goal cushion (12-9) heading into the second half of the overtime.
Couch scored her third of the afternoon to get Stonehill on the scoreboard in overtime with 2:26 remaining, before Shannahan cut the gap to one with a free-position goal with 1:56 left. The Skyhawks lost the ensuing draw and Florida Southern was able to kill the clock until committing a turnover with four seconds left, but there wasn't enough time to get down the field for a tying attempt.
Florida Southern scored three of the first four goals over the opening 14 minutes in the contest, with Asper and Chase each recording a goal and assist over the stretch. Shannahan broke the string with her second goal of the day with 15:47 remaining, but the Mocs added two more for a 5-2 advantage with 9:21 left on a goal and assist by Chase. Rudden scored three straight goals to pull Stonehill even (5-5) with 37-seconds left in the half, but Asper put Florida Southern back in front with a free-position goal with a second left in the half.
Florida Southern scored three of the first four goals in the second half to regain a three goal cushion (9-6) with 14:01 to play as Robertson posted a goal and assist during that stretch. Stonehill rallied with the next three goals over the final 7:34 to force the extra session.
Stonehill (1-2, 0-0 NE-10) is back in action on Wednesday when it hosts Assumption College for their Northeast-10 Conference opener at W.B. Mason Stadium at 7 p.m. Florida Southern (5-1) is right back in action tonight when it completes a rare lacrosse doubleheader by hosting Young Harris College at 7 p.m.
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