St. Mary's City, MD – Senior midfielder Leah Bernal (Marilla, NY) quicksticked a behind-the-goal feed from freshman midfielder Steph Georgopolous (Port Jefferson Station, NY) into an open net with only 18 seconds left in the "sudden victory" overtime period to give Buffalo State College a 14-13 victory in double overtime over the St. Mary's (Md.) College women's lacrosse team Monday afternoon in non-conference action.

Before Bernal connected on the "golden goal", the Seahawks turned the ball over in their defensive end with 22 seconds left in the second overtime period and junior midfielder Shantal Ackley (Baldwinsville, NY) scooped up the loose ball to help set-up the game-winning play.

The double overtime win keeps Buffalo State perfect on the year with a 6-0 mark. This is the Seahawks' second double OT loss as St. Mary's dropped a 7-6 decision at Roanoke College on March 24.

Freshman midfielder Nora Fallon-Oben (Silver Spring, MD/St. John's College [DC]) fired in the first goal of the game to give SMCM a 1-0 lead at 27:15 before Buffalo State responded with three straight scores. Sophomore midfielder Allie Zerhusen (Cockeysville, MD/The Park School) knotted the game at 3-3 with 5:18 left in the first half.

Ackley notched her first of three at 5:09 before St. Mary's tacked on four more for its biggest lead of the game, a 7-4 advantage with 32 seconds left in the half. Senior midfielder Meagan Powers (Pearl River, NY) cut the lead to two with her unassisted goal at 0:14.

The Bengals carried their momentum from the last 14 seconds of the first half into the second by netting the half's first five goals to retake the lead at 10-7 at the 19:08 mark. Far from giving up, the Seahawks answered back with four goals, including three from sophomore midfielder Lauren Carrier (Crownsville, MD/Old Mill), to edge BSC 11-10 at 4:16.

However, two Bengal goals in 33 seconds gave Buffalo State a one-goal lead at 3:28 but Zerhusen's goal with 44 seconds left forced overtime.

St. Mary's drew blood first in the first OT frame as Carrier notched her 39th of the year at 5:15 but Powers' unassisted tally at 2:48 tied the game once more. The Seahawks were able to get off two more shots after the BSC goal but saves by junior Tara Ammerman (Naples, NY) preserved the 13-13 score for the second OT period.

Georgopolous led all players with six points on five goals and an assist, while Ackley added a hat trick and freshman attacker Katie Henderson (Lakeview, NY) chipped a pair. Defensively, junior defender Ashley Parker (Watertown, NY) hustled to seven loose balls and caused three turnovers.

Carrier paced the Seahawks with five goals, while Zerhusen, sophomore attacker Emily Norris (Timonium, MD/Dulaney) and Fallon-Oben each had two goals each. Senior midfielder Danielle Miller (Montville, NJ/Montville) and freshman attacker Kelsey Branch (Jarrettsville, MD/North Harford) each dished out three assists with Miller also notching a goal.

On the defensive end, freshman defender Karisa Carroll (Long Island, NY/Ward Melville) notched a game-high nine ground balls and five caused turnovers.

Buffalo State out-shot SMCM, 30-26, and won 18 of 31 draw controls, while the Seahawks edged BSC in ground balls, 35-33.

Ammerman finished with eight stops and three ground balls, while senior Melissa Puzak (Arnold, MD/Broadneck) turned away 14 shots and three ground balls.

St. Mary's will look to get back in the win column on Wednesday when the Seahawks host Marymount (Va.) University in Capital Athletic Conference action at 4:00 in Seahawk Stadium. Buffalo State continues its Maryland trip with a game at Goucher College tomorrow at 4:00.

2007-04-02