FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Tessa Caputo's goal with 5:27 left capped a seven-point day and stood up as the game-winner as Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse defeated visiting Drexel, 10-9, on Saturday on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium.
Kelly Haggerty added a hat trick for the Stags in the victory.
With the win, Fairfield improves to 4-1. Drexel, whose only prior loss came against nationally-ranked foes Penn and Penn State, slips to 2-3 after the loss.
"There's a lot of opportunities in this stretch for us. We're playing teams that are ranked or traditionally close to the top 25," said Head Coach
Laura Field. "Drexel is very well-coached team with a very potent offense, and I think our defense is playing very well right now. Our offense rose to the occasion in what we knew was going to be a close game."
In a game that featured 11 yellow cards and four green citations, Fairfield took advantage with four player-up goals. Those markers were posted by Caputo, Haggerty,
Haley Burns, and
Kyleigh Tufano.
Rounding out the scoring, Paige Garder and
Mary Henry each posted a goal and an assist.
Burns,
Sophia Colasacco, and
Lila Berkery led the defensive effort with two caused turnovers apiece.
Whitney Robinson earned the win in the cage with five saves, including a stop at the final horn to preserve the win.
Fairfield raced out to a 4-0 lead with goals from four different goal scorers: Gardner, Henry, Caputo, and Haggerty. However, Drexel scored twice in the final minute of the first quarter, then netted the first two tallies of the second frame to even the contest at 4-4.
Despite seeing the early lead disappear, the Stags never trailed in the contest. Burns put Fairfield back on top, 5-4, and then the Dragons equalized again to send the game into the half knotted at 5-5.
The second half was more of the same, with Tufano pushing the Stags in front, only to have Drexel responded. A similar series of the events, with Haggerty accounting for the Fairfield goal, pushed the margin to 7-7, before Caputo scored in the final minute of third quarter to stake the Stags to an 8-7 lead entering the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Haggerty completed her hat trick and ran the lead to 9-7 with 12:26 remaining. The Dragons answered with back-to-back goals to tie the contest with 7:49 left for the fifth and final time at 9-9. Drexel came away with the ensuing draw control, but the Stags forced a turnover and cleared the ball into their offensive zone. Fairfield capitalized on the chance with Caputo finishing a pass from Gardner to give the Stags a 10-9 lead with 5:27 to play.
A frenetic final five minutes, which included the Stags forcing a pair of Drexel turnovers, saw the Dragons regain possession in the midfield with 13 second to go. Drexel was off to the races, with the ball finding Madeline Kane as the clock ticked toward zero. The Dragons' attacker managed a contested shot from just outside the arc, but Robinson stepped up and made the save as the horn sounded to seal the 10-9 triumph.
Bea Buckley led Drexel with two goals and three assists. Lucy Dailey made nine saves for he Dragons.
Up next, the Stags make a Wednesday, March 4 visit to #19/22 Army West Point for a 4 p.m. clash with the Black Knights. Army is currently 3-1 entering a Sunday visit from #11/15 Colorado.
