Women's Lacrosse Defeated in Double Overtime in Patriot League Quarterfinal to #6 Lehigh

Sunday, April 28

West Point, NY

12:00 PM

Army West Point

10-7, 7-2

#6 Lehigh (Quarterfinals)

8-8, 3-6

OT 1

OT 2

LEHIGH

ARMY

Women's Lacrosse Defeated in Double Overtime in Patriot League Quarterfinal to #6 Lehigh

April 29, 2024 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

WEST POINT, NY - Army West Point women's lacrosse (9-8, 7-2 Patriot League) fell in double overtime to sixth-seeded Lehigh (8-8, 3-6 Patriot League) by a score of 12-11.

Emma Eberhardt scored the game-winner in double overtime on a two-woman up advantage after Gabby Schneider tied the game in the final minute of regulation to force the overtime periods.

The teams combined for just four goals in the final 22-plus minutes of the game after a back-and-forth affair from the second quarter on.

Allison Reilly led the Black Knights with four goals while Brigid Duffy posted four points, six draw controls and four ground balls.

Army jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first quarter, as Reilly tabbed the opening goal before Ryan Remaly also got an unassisted tally which made it 2-0. Reilly notched the third before Duffy found Lily Valentini who finished off the fourth in transition with 1:06 remaining in the frame. However, Lehigh got back into it immediately with two goals in the final 23 seconds after winning a pair of draw controls, making it 4-2 through one quarter of play. Hayley Hunt made six saves in the opening frame for the Mountain Hawks, keeping the road side in the game after facing a flurry of shots in the early stages.

The Mountain Hawks took the momentum into the second, quickly adding two more to tie the game at four. Duffy restored order with two brilliant solo goals, with the second giving Army a 6-5 lead with 3:08 left in the half. Julia Gorajek was then able to give Army a two-goal cushion with a goal in the final minute, as the Black Knights took a 7-5 lead into the break. Army outshot the Mountain Hawks 16-9 in the opening half while draw controls were even at 7-7.

The draw controls were then the story in the third quarter, as Lehigh won all seven in the frame which helped them mount the comeback. Cassie Marte, who finished a team-high four goals for Lehigh, scored a pair with Schneider adding another which gave Lehigh an 8-7 lead with 5:35 left in the quarter. Carleigh Armstrong got Army back on terms after Duffy set up the Firstie, as the game was knotted at eight. Reilly answered a Lehigh goal with a highlight reel behind-the-back score on a free-position attempt. Lehigh was once again able to score a backbreaking goal late in the quarter, as a score with one second left gave them a 10-9 lead heading into the fourth.

Army slowly but surely climbed back to a 11-10 advantage as the defense continued to force turnovers and force shot clock violations. Gorajek tied the game with a shot clock buzzer-beating goal early in the fourth, before Reilly gave Army the lead with just over five minutes remaining. Gorajek then hit the post which would have gave Army a two-goal lead, allowing Lehigh an opportunity to tie the game. Schneider delivered a memorable goal for Lehigh with 48 seconds to extend the game and force overtime.

Playing in its first overtime game of the season, Duffy won the opening draw and was then fouled which gave Army a two-minute woman-up opportunity. The Black Knights were unable to capitalize as both teams struggled to put shots on goal through both periods of the first overtime. Lindsey Serafine and Hunt each made a pivotal save to extend the game. Lehigh then went on a woman-up in the second overtime, before an offsides on Army gave them a seven-on-five opportunity. Lehigh was able to find the back of the net during the advantage, with Marte feeding Eberhardt who deposited the game-winning goal as Lehigh will now advance into the Patriot League semifinals.