Curry slips past UMass Dartmouth in ECAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament, 15-14 in OT

(Dartmouth, MA) – Emily Knight’s fifth goal of the game came in overtime and lifted fourth-seeded Curry College to a 15-14 overtime victory over fifth-seeded UMass Dartmouth in an ECAC New England Division III first round game played at Cressy Field on Wednesday. 

The victory improves Curry College to 14-4 overall and moves the Colonels into the semifinals to be played this Saturday, May 8. Curry College will take on top-seeded Keene State College (11-5) in Keene, NH, while second-seeded Babson College (10-7) will play host to #3 Eastern Connecticut State University in the other semifinal on Saturday.  The two semifinal winners will advance to the championship game to be played Sunday at the site of the highest seeded team.

In a game that saw three ties in the second half, UMass Dartmouth’s Katelyn Elliott tied the game at 13-13 with 4:55 left to play, forcing the game into a pair of three-minute overtime sessions.  Curry College took the first lead, 14-13, on Rebecca Gardner’s fourth goal of the game, with Knight’s game-winner coming shortly thereafter.  UMass Dartmouth cut the deficit to 15-14 on Kristine Johnson’s second goal of the game, but the Corsairs couldn’t get any closer.

Curry College goalie Leigh Johnston came up with 10 saves for the victory, while Liz Holland made 20 saves in a losing effort for UMass Dartmouth (10-7).

UMass Dartmouth jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first eight minutes of the game before Curry College got on the board.  But it didn’t take the Colonels very long to get back into the game, tying the game, 4-4, by the middle of the first half, enroute to nine straight goals for a 9-4 lead.  Curry College took an 11-6 lead at the break, setting the stage for a hectic Corsair comeback in the final 30 minutes. 

The Corsairs scored the first five goals of the second period to tie the game 11-11, before Curry College twice took one-goal leads. But both times UMass Dartmouth got the tying goal with Elliott’s goal late in the second half tying the score, 13-13, and sending the game into overtime.

Corsair senior Meghan Corfield was the game’s leading scorer with seven goals, while Elliott netted three and Katelyn Sullivan scored twice.  Knight was Curry College’s top scorer with five goals and a pair of assists, while Gardner had four goals and an assist.  Jana Williamson scored a pair for the Colonels.