TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati lacrosse team battled back from a four-goal deficit twice in the game and eventually forced overtime, but were unable to come out on top as Central Michigan scored the winning goal in overtime to hand the visiting Bearcats a 12-11 setback on a cold Friday afternoon in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The loss dropped the Bearcats to 3-3 on the year while the Chippewas moved to 2-1 overall in 2019.
// QUICK NOTES
• Cincinnati slipped to 3-3 overall while Central Michigan improved to 2-1
• The loss is the first in the series with the Chippewas after the Bearcats had won the previous three meetings
• UC is now 3-6 all-time in overtime games and have dropped two in a row after a 9-8 double-overtime loss at Temple last year
• The Bearcats are also now 2-4 in overtime games that are played on the road
• Kylie Nause recorded the first hat trick of her collegiate career with her third of the day tying the game at 11-11 to force overtime
• Jayde Sains also recorded a hat trick for just the second time in her career and her first since netting one her freshman season with LIU Brooklyn in a game against Howard
• Ali Mazzola netted a pair of goals to not only set a career-high for a single game, but also doubled her career output of one goal (2018 vs. ECU) in the process
• Jennie Finotti was credited with an assist, the first of her collegiate career
• Giuliana Durso stopped 13 shots for the second game in a row, equaling her season best and sitting one shy of her career high
// HOW IT HAPPENED
The hosts jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, including opening the scoring just 41 seconds into the game and held that advantage for nearly the first half of the opening half of play. With 15:12 remaining, the Bearcats got on the board for the first time as Gianna Napoletano walked in and shot the ball into the net to make it 4-1. Napoletano's goal would be the first of four in a row as Kylie Nause and Jayde Sains scored on free-position shots before Ali Mazzola scored with seven minutes remaining in the half to make it 4-4. The Chippewas, however, scored a goal with 1:41 showing on the opening half clock to take a 5-4 lead into the break.
In the second half, CMU came out and scored quickly once again, this time finding a goal 1:35 into the half. Monica Borzillo scored her lone goal of the game on a free-position shot and the Bearcats were back within on, 6-5, with just under 26 minutes remaining. But, the Chippewas scored the next three goals to make it 9-5 with 18:54 remaining in the game and the Bearcats needing to score, and that is what they did.
Mazzola snagged her second of the contest at 16:45 remaining to make it 9-6 before Sains raced into the area and fired a low shot into the cage just 35 seconds later to bring UC to within two, 9-7. But, CMU scored the next two to build another four-goal advantage (11-7) with 11:20 remaining. From there, the Bearcats went on a four-goal run to tie things up. First, Amanda Donovan scored (10:14 remaining) before Nause rushed in on the cage and scored her second of the game with 6:53 remaining. Just 20 seconds later, UC had won the draw control and Sains charged the cage where she would score her third of the game with 6:33 remaining. After both teams had several chances to score in the final minutes, UC was the last to score in regulation as Nause, with 42 seconds remaining, tallied her third of the day for her first collegiate hat trick and knot things at 11-11.
In overtime, where the first goal wins, UC won the draw control and moved down field where Nause looked for her fourth of the day, but her shot was saved and CMU raced the opposite direction. With the ball, the Chippewas moved around the offensive zone and ripped a shot that hit the cross bar. After they regained possession and called time-out, Adrianna Fess caused a turnover and recovered the ground ball to start the Bearcats on a counter attack. But, a UC turnover gave the ball away before the first half of the first overtime session came to a close. In the second half of the first overtime, CMU won the draw control and moved in on the cage where they drew a free-position shot that Durso saved. However, the hosts regained possession after the shot and eventually drew another free-position shot, this time scoring with 1:33 remaining in the first overtime to claim a 12-11 victory.
// OVERTIME HISTORY
Today's game marked ninth time in program history the Bearcats played in overtime, falling to 3-6 in those contests after having dropped two in a row. The last time UC played an overtime game was last year (March 24) when it lost, 9-8, on the road to Temple. Prior to that, the Bearcats had not played an overtime game since the 2015 season, an 11-10 win over visiting Stetson.
// NEW HATS
Nause and Sains both ended up with hat tricks in the game, the first they have each recorded this year and the first collegiate hat trick for Nause. Sains, a senior, last scored three or more goals in a game March 19, 2016, when she was a freshman with LIU Brooklyn. In that game, she finished with a career-high three goals and four points. Today, she scored three as well to tie her single-game career high. For Nause, the rookie entered the game having had scored two goals all year with one each against Ohio State and Marquette, making today's output not only her first career hat trick, but also her first career multiple goal game.
// MAKING HAT-STORY
Heading into the game, the Bearcats had recorded 13 hat tricks or better this season, ranking as the eighth-most in a single season. Through six games and with the addition of two more tonight, the 2019 team is tied with the 2014 team for seventh with 15 total. The record for a season is 24 (2017).
// MILESTONE CHART • AWAY GOALS
With her first goal of the game, which came with seven minutes remaining in the first half, Mazzola recorded the 800th all-time road goal in program history. The last time UC reached an away goal milestone came in 2017 when Katie Stegmann scored at Georgetown (April 12) early in the first half of play.
// DOUBLE UP
Mazzola entered the game with one goal to her credit in 11 games played for UC with the goal coming last year against ECU (April 23). Today, Mozzola not only scored her first of the season, but also broke her single-game scoring record and tallied her first multiple-goal game.
// MAKING SAVES
For the second game in a row, Durso recorded 13 saves with today's total making it back-to-back games in which she has posted a season-best. That total is just one off her single-game high.
// NEXT UP
The Bearcats will travel to Brighton, Mich., for an 11 a.m. game Monday inside the Legacy Center when they face #20 Michigan. The game was originally slated for Sunday but was moved indoors one day later because of impending weather set to hit the area.
// FOLLOW US
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsLAX. Head Coach Gina Thomas (Oliver)(@GinaOliverUC) also can be followed on Twitter.
// QUICK NOTES
• Cincinnati slipped to 3-3 overall while Central Michigan improved to 2-1
• The loss is the first in the series with the Chippewas after the Bearcats had won the previous three meetings
• UC is now 3-6 all-time in overtime games and have dropped two in a row after a 9-8 double-overtime loss at Temple last year
• The Bearcats are also now 2-4 in overtime games that are played on the road
• Kylie Nause recorded the first hat trick of her collegiate career with her third of the day tying the game at 11-11 to force overtime
• Jayde Sains also recorded a hat trick for just the second time in her career and her first since netting one her freshman season with LIU Brooklyn in a game against Howard
• Ali Mazzola netted a pair of goals to not only set a career-high for a single game, but also doubled her career output of one goal (2018 vs. ECU) in the process
• Jennie Finotti was credited with an assist, the first of her collegiate career
• Giuliana Durso stopped 13 shots for the second game in a row, equaling her season best and sitting one shy of her career high
// HOW IT HAPPENED
The hosts jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, including opening the scoring just 41 seconds into the game and held that advantage for nearly the first half of the opening half of play. With 15:12 remaining, the Bearcats got on the board for the first time as Gianna Napoletano walked in and shot the ball into the net to make it 4-1. Napoletano's goal would be the first of four in a row as Kylie Nause and Jayde Sains scored on free-position shots before Ali Mazzola scored with seven minutes remaining in the half to make it 4-4. The Chippewas, however, scored a goal with 1:41 showing on the opening half clock to take a 5-4 lead into the break.
In the second half, CMU came out and scored quickly once again, this time finding a goal 1:35 into the half. Monica Borzillo scored her lone goal of the game on a free-position shot and the Bearcats were back within on, 6-5, with just under 26 minutes remaining. But, the Chippewas scored the next three goals to make it 9-5 with 18:54 remaining in the game and the Bearcats needing to score, and that is what they did.
Mazzola snagged her second of the contest at 16:45 remaining to make it 9-6 before Sains raced into the area and fired a low shot into the cage just 35 seconds later to bring UC to within two, 9-7. But, CMU scored the next two to build another four-goal advantage (11-7) with 11:20 remaining. From there, the Bearcats went on a four-goal run to tie things up. First, Amanda Donovan scored (10:14 remaining) before Nause rushed in on the cage and scored her second of the game with 6:53 remaining. Just 20 seconds later, UC had won the draw control and Sains charged the cage where she would score her third of the game with 6:33 remaining. After both teams had several chances to score in the final minutes, UC was the last to score in regulation as Nause, with 42 seconds remaining, tallied her third of the day for her first collegiate hat trick and knot things at 11-11.
In overtime, where the first goal wins, UC won the draw control and moved down field where Nause looked for her fourth of the day, but her shot was saved and CMU raced the opposite direction. With the ball, the Chippewas moved around the offensive zone and ripped a shot that hit the cross bar. After they regained possession and called time-out, Adrianna Fess caused a turnover and recovered the ground ball to start the Bearcats on a counter attack. But, a UC turnover gave the ball away before the first half of the first overtime session came to a close. In the second half of the first overtime, CMU won the draw control and moved in on the cage where they drew a free-position shot that Durso saved. However, the hosts regained possession after the shot and eventually drew another free-position shot, this time scoring with 1:33 remaining in the first overtime to claim a 12-11 victory.
// OVERTIME HISTORY
Today's game marked ninth time in program history the Bearcats played in overtime, falling to 3-6 in those contests after having dropped two in a row. The last time UC played an overtime game was last year (March 24) when it lost, 9-8, on the road to Temple. Prior to that, the Bearcats had not played an overtime game since the 2015 season, an 11-10 win over visiting Stetson.
// NEW HATS
Nause and Sains both ended up with hat tricks in the game, the first they have each recorded this year and the first collegiate hat trick for Nause. Sains, a senior, last scored three or more goals in a game March 19, 2016, when she was a freshman with LIU Brooklyn. In that game, she finished with a career-high three goals and four points. Today, she scored three as well to tie her single-game career high. For Nause, the rookie entered the game having had scored two goals all year with one each against Ohio State and Marquette, making today's output not only her first career hat trick, but also her first career multiple goal game.
// MAKING HAT-STORY
Heading into the game, the Bearcats had recorded 13 hat tricks or better this season, ranking as the eighth-most in a single season. Through six games and with the addition of two more tonight, the 2019 team is tied with the 2014 team for seventh with 15 total. The record for a season is 24 (2017).
// MILESTONE CHART • AWAY GOALS
With her first goal of the game, which came with seven minutes remaining in the first half, Mazzola recorded the 800th all-time road goal in program history. The last time UC reached an away goal milestone came in 2017 when Katie Stegmann scored at Georgetown (April 12) early in the first half of play.
// DOUBLE UP
Mazzola entered the game with one goal to her credit in 11 games played for UC with the goal coming last year against ECU (April 23). Today, Mozzola not only scored her first of the season, but also broke her single-game scoring record and tallied her first multiple-goal game.
// MAKING SAVES
For the second game in a row, Durso recorded 13 saves with today's total making it back-to-back games in which she has posted a season-best. That total is just one off her single-game high.
// NEXT UP
The Bearcats will travel to Brighton, Mich., for an 11 a.m. game Monday inside the Legacy Center when they face #20 Michigan. The game was originally slated for Sunday but was moved indoors one day later because of impending weather set to hit the area.
// FOLLOW US
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsLAX. Head Coach Gina Thomas (Oliver)(@GinaOliverUC) also can be followed on Twitter.