COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's lacrosse team pulled off a scintillating comeback in Saturday's Centennial Conference opener against visiting Swarthmore, erasing a seven-goal deficit in the second half and walking off with a 12-11 triumph on a goal by freshman Courtney Cortese in overtime.
It didn't happen in the blink of an eye, but Ursinus (5-3, 1-0) somehow overcame a dismal first 40 minutes and change, systematically turning what appeared to be a runaway Garnet rout into an instant classic. By the time Cortese beat Swarthmore goalie Connie Bowen low on a free-position attempt 2:42 into the extra session, the Bears had secured their first overtime victory since 2009, stolen from the jaws of defeat.
The Bears have never lost a regular-season home game to Swarthmore, but that streak was in major jeopardy from the opening draw. Trailing 10-3 after Swarthmore's Briana Narzikul scored on a free position attempt at the 23:58 mark, Ursinus looked to be dead in the water. But the Bears uncorked a run of six unanswered goals during a span of just under ten minutes, freshmen Bridget Sherry and Kaci McNeave finding the back of the net twice apiece. Sherry's second of the day made it a 10-9 spread with 9:27 to play, but the Garnet (3-4, 0-1) restored a two-goal advantage just over a minute later.
It stayed that way until the final two minutes. Senior Devin Brakel's free-position strike with 1:57 to go cut it to 11-10, but the Garnet controlled the ensuing draw and looked to run out the clock. After a series of fouls, McNeave dispossessed a Swarthmore attacker deep in the Ursinus zone and, after a re-start, Sherry hit a cutting Taylor DeBernardi for the tying tally with 37 ticks remaining.
The Garnet nearly ended it in the final seconds, but senior Margaret Philbin went low to deny a potential game-winner and keep the Bears' hopes alive. Brakel controlled the draw, and after four shots failed to reach their target, Cortese received a free-position attempt on a shooting space infraction. The rookie left no doubt, burying the game-winner with 3:22 left in overtime and setting off a wild celebration on the home sideline.
McNeave finished with four goals – three of them in the second half – and an assist to lead the Bears, also adding a game-high six ground balls. Sherry posted two goals and an assist to go with four draw controls and three caused turnovers, while Brakel and junior Lindsey Grabell had a goal and an assist each.
Elizabeth Wainwright collected three goals for the Garnet, with Elizabeth Upton and Lizzie Kolln chipping in two apiece. Bowen made 10 saves.
After a 19-11 deficiency in the first half, Ursinus outshot Swarthmore by a 29-11 count in the second half and overtime. The Bears connected on five of eight free positions, including all three in the second frame.
Philbin was tremendous all afternoon. She racked up a season-high 15 saves, nine of them coming in the first 20 minutes to keep the deficit from becoming insurmountable.
Swarthmore (3-4, 0-1) scored the game's first three goals and stormed to a 7-1 lead before sophomore Franny Liberatoscioli pulled one back just before halftime. But the momentum was short-lived, the Garnet running off three of the first four second-half markers to seize a seven-goal advantage. Thanks to an unforgettable turnaround, it would not last.
Ursinus' nine second-half goals marked their most in the second half of a Centennial Conference game since a 10-goal outburst in a 16-15 thriller at Muhlenberg in 2012.
After a grueling stretch of three games in six days, the women's lacrosse team continues CC play with a trip to Dickinson on Saturday, April 2.