Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
8-4, 3-2MPSF
Southern California
12-0, 6-0MPSF
CU Drops Heartbreaker In Final Seconds To No. 7 USC
April 08, 2016 | Lacrosse
BOULDER - Colorado's lacrosse team had a goal taken off the board in the final minute and then watched No. 7/6 Southern California score as the Buffaloes lost a heartbreaker 9-8 at Kittredge Field on Friday.
“All week we talked about playing 60 minutes and building on our game from Stanford," head coach Ann Elliott said. "There are little things we could have done better. Hopefully this feeling will help them understand what it takes to dig down deep. At the end of the day I felt like we stuck to the game plan. We had a great opportunity. Unfortunately the call went against us, and USC made a good play at the other end. And we couldn't get it done in the last 15 seconds.”
CU (8-4, 3-2 MPSF) was searching for its first win over a ranked opponent and the team thought it had it all but wrapped up when Katie Macleay scored with 59.0 seconds remaining for a 9-8 lead. But after some discussion among the officials, the goal was waved off due to a dangerous shot attempt. USC (12-0, 6-0 MPSF) marched right down the field and Cynthia Del Core scored with 15.6 seconds left to put the Women of Troy ahead 9-8. CU won the ensuing draw, but was unable to get a shot off before the final horn sounded.
“I was like we won this!" Macleay exclaimed before realizing the goal was taken off the board. "It's unfortunate, but it's something that is out of our control. But we fought hard.”
The wild ending was fitting for an evenly-played game that saw the game tied for 40 minutes and 18 seconds with eight ties and four lead changes. However, the ending spoiled excellent performances from Macleay and Johnna Fusco, who each finished with three goals.
Neither team led by more than a goal the entire game. The Trojans took the first lead of the game, but Darby Kiernan tied it up just over a minute later at 22:20. After USC took a 2-1 lead, CU scored twice to lead 3-2 with goals from Macleay and Fusco.
USC answered with a pair of goals and then Macleay scored twice in the final six minutes of the first half and the Trojans added one to bring the teams into halftime tied 5-5.
CU took its second lead of the game at 6-5 when Marie Moore scored on a free-position shot with 25:34 to go. After a USC goal, it was Fusco with another free-position score for a 7-6 lead for the Buffs with 21:46 to play.
The Trojans scored back-to-back goals with 17:37 and 14:45 remaining to lead 8-7, but Fusco scored her third of the game, another free-position goal, with 13:31 left to tie the score again.
The game remained tied until the final minute of chaos.
CU did an outstanding job on defense all game, holding the nation's second-leading goal scorer Michaela Michael to just two goals and holding the USC offense, the best in the country at 16.64 goals per game, to just nine. Moore, Fusco and Kelsie Garrison each caused a pair of turnovers, while Paige Soenksen was steady in the net with six saves and a team-high seven ground balls.
USC had also been one of the top teams in draw controls, but the Buffs won 12 of the game's 19 draws to win that battle.
“I think it's heartbreaking anytime you play as hard as you can for 60 minutes and you lay it all out there on the field," Elliott said. "We have to rebound and get ready for Sunday. Because all season we focus on what's next after the game. What's next for us is Sunday and that's the biggest game we have all season.”
The Buffaloes will be back at home on Sunday at noon against San Diego State. Following the completion of the game, there will be a free youth clinic for kids in eighth grade or under, hosted by the CU lacrosse team.
Postgame Quotes
Head coach Ann Elliott
General
“All week we talked about playing 60 minutes and building on our game from Stanford. There are little things we could have done better. Hopefully this feeling will help them understand what it takes to dig down deep. At the end of the day I felt like we stuck to the game plan. We had a great opportunity. Unfortunately the call went against us, and USC made a good play at the other end. And we couldn't get it done in the last 15 seconds.”
On heartbreaking game
“I think it's heartbreaking anytime you play as hard as you can for 60 minutes and you lay it all out there on the field. We have to rebound and get ready for Sunday. Because all season we focus on what's next after the game. What's next for us is Sunday and that's the biggest game we have all season.”
Katie Macleay, Jr., Attacker
On playing one of the top teams in the country
“I think it was very important. We were working to play a full 60 minutes against another top 20 team. It was a great opportunity and it was the last top 20 team we were able to play, not counting MPSF. It was really important, we were working all week for this and we played good. We played our full 60 minutes and that was our goal, so were happy about that.”
On when the goal got called back
“I was like we won this! It's unfortunate, but it's something that is out of our control. But we fought hard.”
On being proud of the team's performance
“Yeah, definitely. We came out and again played a full 60 minutes so that's what we will take going into Sunday.”
On building confidence going into Sunday's game
“A lot of confidence, but I think it's for everybody. This is one of the first times we really played the full 60 minutes. It should increase everybody's confidence and that's what Colorado is all about.”
