Mocs Take Second-Ranked Limestone to the Brink, Fall in Overtime

GAFFNEY, S.C. â€" Tenth-ranked Florida Southern gave second-ranked Limestone all they could handle, here, at Saints Field on the campus of Limestone College in the last regular season game for both squads. Overtime was needed to decide the outcome but the Saints were the only ones able to score during the overtime period as they defeated the Mocs 9-8.

It was a heartbreaking defeat for the Mocs as the only overtime goal was given up with 1.7 seconds remaining in the first three minute overtime segment. In women’s lacrosse the first overtime period is broken down into two, three minute segments and after the first segment the two teams will switch ends to play segment number two. The Saints’ Chelsea Treat rolled around the back of the cage with only seconds remaining in the first overtime segment and found an opening with a little less than two seconds remaining to give Limestone the go ahead game winning goal.

Limestone won the opening draw in overtime segment number two and from there it was a game of keep away as there is no shot clock or delay of game called in women’s lacrosse. The Mocs however forced a turnover and moved the ball into their offensive set with a little over two minutes remaining. Megan Asper was fouled inside the eight meters but Limestone’s goalie saved one of two shots in the remaining 120 seconds, to stop Asper’s free-position attempt. 

As the Saints tried to play keep away once more, Mara Mason came up with a huge interception under 30 seconds. She then fed the ball to Ashley Robertson at the top of the eight meter mark.  Robertson drove between two defenders to get a game tying shot off; but she collided with a defender only a few feet from the goal and her shot went high over the cage. After Robertson’s shot, Limestone controlled the possession for the remainder of the game.

The first half was a chess-match between the two top 10 programs with the Mocs striking first and sticking with the Saints for the entire first period. Asper took a pass from Caitlin Chase to put the Mocs on the board first. Two minutes later Limestone tied the match but Asper and Chase found each other once again to put the Mocs back in front, 2-1. It took the Saints 10 minutes before they matched the Mocs on the scoreboard but they put in back-to-back goals to take their first lead of the game at 3-2. Danielle LaDuca answered right away for FSC tying it at 3-3.

The final 5:02 of the first half provided a plethora of scoring for Limestone and it looked as if it was the momentum they needed to run away with the game. The Saints retook the lead with a little over five minutes remaining in the half. After the goal by Limestone the Mocs had trouble finding the net on their end turning it over in front of the cage. However Limestone’s Chelsea Treat, who picked up the ground ball, tried to roll it back to her goalie but the slightest redirect from Chase sent the ball int the net and past the goalie. The Saints recovered from to score two more goals before halftime to take a 6-4 lead into the break.

The second half started out much like the first did with the Mocs finding the net. Chase got a shot between the pipes on a pass from Katie Ferree. Limestone countered with a goal of their own before LaDuca placed a free-position attempt into the net to drop the Saints lead to 7-6 with 24:27 remaining in the game. 

LaDuca’s goal sparked a 3-0 run by FSC but it took a while for the Mocs to score again. Lorianne Hoover tied it up 7-7, at 18:24, on another free-position attempt. Twenty-four seconds later Mason found Ferree open on the far side of the cage and Ferree then found an opening around the goalie to put the Mocs up 8-7. It was the first lead for the Mocs since leading 2-1 early in the first half.

The Saints finally answered the Mocs at the 6:14 mark in the second half and from there both teams looked to find the go-ahead goal but the defenses for both squads came up big down the stretch. FSC repelled two different Limestone offensive attacks by forcing turnovers but with a little over two minutes left the Saints forced a Moccasin turnover that gave them the advantage heading into the final part of regulation. 

Goalie Katie Hammerer made a huge save as she stopped a Saints’ free-position attempt with 18 seconds remaining in the game. The Mocs tried to push the ball up the field in the remaining amount of time but regulation ended as LaDuca had possession at the eight-meter mark

Hammerer finishes the regular season with a 9-3 overall record as she tallied her third straight double-digit save performance. She ended the game with 10 saves, seven of which came in the first half where she faced 15 shots. On the afternoon she faced a total of 24 shots.

LaDuca, Chase and Asper all tallied two goals in the loss. Chase also added two assists to lead all players with four points.

Mason and LaDuca played in their final game for FSC as Mason recorded one assist, one ground ball and one caused turnover.

Leading the Saints was Jessie Aguglia who tallied three goals; also leading Limestone was Chelsea Treat, who scored the game winning goal for the Saints. She recorded two assists and had one goal on the afternoon. Earning the win in the cage is Rashelle McLellan who saved four shots during the game.

The Mocs end the season with an 11-4 record, earning wins against two ranked opponents and only losing to three opponents who have been ranked in the top 10 for the majority of the season.