HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Jillian Winwood scored the game-tying buzzer beater at the end of regulation, and Brenna Connolly netted the overtime game-winner to lead Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse past host Hofstra, 13-12,in a Saturday afternoon thriller on Long Island. Paulina DiFatta made a career-high 18 saves in the cage for the Stags.
 
With the win, the Stags improve to 2-2. Fairfield takes a 13-12 victory after back-to-back losses by that same score at UConn and against visiting Columbia. Hofstra now stands at 2-1 after its first defeat of the spring.
 
Winwood's game-tying shot was her fourth goal of the day to go along with one assist. Connolly also scored four goals on the day. Olivia Russell added a hat trick for the Stags, with Taylor Mitchell and Kathleen Hulseman each potting a single tally. Diana DeVita handed out two assists, while Hulseman and Lily Crager each distributed one.
 
At the other end of the field, DiFatta's 18 saves tie the mark for the most stops in the nation by a goalkeeper in a winning effort this season. DiFatta also snagged a team-leading four ground balls with one caused turnover.
 
One game after setting a new program standard with 11 draw controls, Erin Mammele tied that mark with 11 more against the Pride, including one in overtime. With 32 draw controls through four games, Mammele boosts her career total to 126 to tie Erin Rigby '10 for fifth on Fairfield's all-time list.
 
Alyssa Parrella led Hofstra with six goals, one assist, five ground balls and six draw controls. Drew Shapiro and Jenna Budd each netted a pair for the Pride.
 
Hofstra raced out to a 4-0 goal lead before Winwood's first marker of the day got the Stags on the board. That score started the Stags on a 4-1 run to close the gap to 5-4 midway through the half. Parella would convert to end the run, but the Fairfield attack responded with another four straight markers, including three in a row from Russell to send the Stags into the intermission with an 8-6 advantage.
 
Fairfield maintained the lead out to a 10-9 margin with under 11 minutes to play before Parrella struck with the equalizer for the Pride. Shapiro then converted to put Hofstra into the lead, but Connolly answered with a free-position goal with 3:06 remaining to knot the game at 11-11. After getting a stop on the defensive end, the Pride regained the lead, 12-11, on Parrella's final tally of the day with 1:23 to play in the second half.
 
Hofstra won the ensuing draw control with the possession clock turned off, then gained a player advantage on a yellow card. However, Crager created a turnover in the final minute to give new life to the Stags. After Hofstra regained possession, it was Winwood forcing a second turnover with 19 seconds to go. Following a Fairfield timeout, Winwood worked her way toward the cage and was fouled with three second to play. The freshman would bury the ensuing free-position shot as the horn sounded, sending the game into overtime tied at 12-12.
 
The Stags defense would create two turnovers in overtime to maintain the deadlock before Connolly earned a free-position shot and finished it top shelf to send Fairfield to a 13-12 win.
 
Fairfield's current road trip continues with visits to Sacred Heart, New Hampshire and Lehigh. The Stags are back on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium to host Boston University on Wednesday, March 14 at 3 p.m.