One-Shot Wonder: Held Without a Shot in Regulation, Denkler Delivers in Overtime
from press release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The 17th-ranked Vanderbilt
women's lacrosse team wrapped up its 2011 regular season schedule
on Wednesday with a 12-10 overtime victory against Notre Dame.
Prior to the game, Vanderbilt honored the six graduating members of
its senior class. And it turned out to be senior Katherine Denkler
who scored the game-winning goal in the extra period on her only
shot of the game.
The Fighting Irish had done quite a job defending VU's leading goal
scorer, but just a minute and a half into overtime Denkler drew a
UND foul. She would connect on the free-position shot --
Vanderbilt's fifth eight-meter goal of the game -- to power the
Dores to victory. Sophomore defender Paige Cahill added an
insurance goal with 23 seconds remaining to make the final 12-10
margin.
Vanderbilt scored the first four goals of the game and held Notre
Dame scoreless for more than 14 minutes. But the Irish would fight
back to score seven of the game's next nine goals and take their
only lead at 7-6.
The Commodores scored the final three goals of the first half to
take a 9-7 advantage into the break. After combining for 16 goals
in the first half, the teams settled in to a slowed second half.
Notre Dame tied the game at the 20:47 mark of the second half, 9-9,
but could not grab the lead.
After the teams again traded goals, neither squad would find the
back of the net in the final 10 minutes of regulation.
Both goalkeepers had impressive days. VU sophomore Chelsea Pasfield
stopped nine shots, including a key save in overtime. UND's Ellie
Hilling made eight of her 11 saves in the second half.
Nine different Commodores tallied goals, with senior Emily Franke
and juniors Courtney Kirk and Hannah Clark each scoring twice.
Other goals came from Denkler, junior Kendall Pittinger, Cahill and
fellow sophomore Carly Linthicum, and freshmen Katie Mastropieri
and Abby Wheeler. Tewaaraton Award nominee Ally Carey was held
scoreless for the first time in 13 games, but the junior midfielder
racked up four ground balls, four caused turnovers and two draw
controls.
Concluding the regular season with a record of 8-7, the Commodores
will have a couple weeks off before the 2011 American Lacrosse
Conference Tournament makes its Nashville debut, May 5-7. The
Vanderbilt Lacrosse Complex will play host to six teams that are
currently ranked in the IWLCA's Top 20, with the winner earning the
league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
