GETTYSBURG, Pa. – For the second consecutive season, one of the premier match-ups in NCAA Division III women's lacrosse went to an extra session, but this time around fourth-ranked Gettysburg College came out with its first-ever victory over third-ranked Middlebury College, downing the visiting Panthers 19-17 on a cloudy day at Clark Field.

Sophomore Hollis Stahl (Hightstown, N.J./Peddie School) came up with a career game for the Orange & Blue, netting seven goals, two caused turnovers, and five draw controls. She notched five of Gettysburg's final eight scores in the game. Senior Krissy Browning (Baldwin, Md./Fallston) tied a career high with seven points with five goals and a pair of helpers, while seniors Katie Ceglarski (Darien, Conn./Darien) and Megan Moore (Chestertown, Md./Gunston Day School) each closed the day with five points. Ceglarski also tied a team season-high with eight draw controls.

Gettysburg improved to 10-0 overall this season, matching its second-best start in program history, and picked up its first win against Middlebury (3-2) in four tries. Last season, the Panthers notched the final goal in regulation and scored the only goal in the overtime period to pick up a 12-11 decision over the top-ranked Bullets at Clark Field.

Thursday's contest had all the makings of another overtime affair as each team took turns lighting the scoreboard. Middlebury broke the egg 1:14 into the game as Katherine Entwisle tallied an unassisted goal. That would be the visitor's only lead of the opening period as Gettysburg fired right back with three unanswered scores by its senior trio of Moore, Browning, and Ceglarski to take a 3-1 lead at 27:21.

The Panthers clawed back to tie the game at seven on a goal by Dana Heritage at 6:07, but the hosts came right back with three scores to gain their largest advantage of the day at 10-7. Following an Amanda Smith goal at 1:16, Browning tossed in her fourth goal of the opening half on a free-position attempt with 41 seconds left to up the margin back to three. Middlebury had the last laugh of the half, however, as Mimi Schatz notched an unassisted score with 12 seconds remaining to cut the margin to 11-9 at the break.

In the second half, the Panthers quickly tied the game 5:18 into the period, but Gettysburg regained the advantage just 21 seconds later on a goal by Stahl. That began a back-and-forth second-half battle between the clubs which saw ties at 12-12 (22:14) and 15-15 (6:33). The Bullets finally looked to be taking the upper hand by gaining a two-goal lead (15-13) with 8:43 remaining in regulation, but once again Middlebury found a way to knot the score with goals by Schmitz and Entwisle.

The Panthers took their second lead of the game with 2:36 on the clock as Entwisle tossed in her fifth goal in as many tries. Needing a stop and a score in the final two minutes, Gettysburg managed both, causing a turnover and converting it into a goal as Ceglarski found Stahl at 1:12 for what turned out to be the final score of regulation.

With a six-minute stop-clock overtime in effect, the Bullets jumped on the board first with 2:45 gone by when Stahl drew a foul inside the eight-meter arc and promptly converted the free position attempt. Gettysburg tacked on anther goal in the extra session when Browning found senior Jamie Giffuni (St. James, N.Y./Smithtown) with 1:58 remaining, giving the hosts a two-goal advantage (18-16).

Gettysburg wasn't quite out of the clear as Middlebury raced down the field and Schatz scored on a free position attempt with 1:01 left. Needing a stop in the waning seconds, the Panthers sent their goalie out to press the Bullet attack and the hosts made them pay as Browning drew a foul in the arc and tossed the ball to Stahl on the subsequent free position attempt for an easy score with just six seconds remaining.

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2008-03-27