PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Despite erasing a three-goal deficit to force overtime, Rutgers women's lacrosse (4-2) dropped a 13-12 result to Saint Joseph's (3-2) on Saturday afternoon in Piscataway. With two minutes left in regulation, sophomore
Marin Hartshorn found a cutting
Cassidy Spilis to tie the game at 12. However, the Hawks secured the road win after Penny Green found the back of the cage in the middle of the second overtime period.
It was a back-and-forth game between the two schools, as the Scarlet Knights erased both a five-goal deficit early in the first period and Saint Joseph's three-goal lead late in the second. Hartshorn finished with a team-high five points on four goals and an assist, which included her first hat trick of the season. Spilis netted her fourth hat trick of 2020 with her three goals, while junior
Taralyn Naslonski added two goals for her fifth multi-goal outing of the campaign.
Rutgers held a 20-13 advantage in ground balls over its opponent, as rookie goalkeeper
Alonna Gliksman led the way with four, followed by three from seniors
Brianna Cirino and
Samantha Scarpello. Spilis added a game-high four draw controls in the loss.
RU found itself in an early 5-0 hole in the first half before it produced a 5-2 scoring run to close out the opening period. Five different Scarlet Knights scored during the stretch, which included an unassited strike from rookie
Jenna Byrne to make it just a 6-5 game in favor of SJU with 5:55 left in the first half. The visitor's would add another score to enter the locker room with a 7-5 lead.
After the Hawks added another goal out of halftime, Rutgers responded with three consecutive goals for the first tie of the game. Naslonski netted back-to-back goals during the run, while Hartshorn's second of the day tied the game at 8-8 with 19:44 to play. Both teams traded goals before Saint Joseph's rattled off its own 3-0 scoring run to give them a 12-9 advantage with 11 minutes left in regulation.
The Scarlet Knights got right to work in the final 10 minutes of the second half. Hartshorn collected two consecutive goals in a span of two minutes. Then trailing by just one, Spilis found the back of the net to tie the game. RU's defense would hold for the final two minutes to force overtime.
The Hawks won the opening draw of extra time, but Rutgers' defense once again held its own. SJU got off two shots off its initial possession, and RU cleared out with 18 seconds left. Spilis fired off a nice look with just three seconds to go, but a nice save from the Hawks' goalkeeper Mikala Davis forced another overtime period.
Saint Joseph's won the opening draw in the second overtime period and got off two shots before Penny fired off the game-winner.
Rutgers returns to action Wednesday, March 4 at Monmouth.
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