(with contributions from Western Connecticut Sports Information)

Little East Conference Tournament
#6 Southern Maine Stuns #3 Western Connecticut in OT 10-9

            DANBURY, Conn. -- Junior Lauren Lessard (Lewiston, Maine/Kents Hill) scored an unassisted goal with 11 seconds remaining in overtime to give the sixth-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies a thrilling, 10-9 victory over the third-seeded Western Connecticut State University Colonials Tuesday afternoon in a first-round game of the 2016 Little East Conference Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament.

            The victory advances the Huskies to a semifinal match against second-seeded Keene State College on Thursday.  The Huskies are now 6-9, including two one-goal wins over the Colonials, on the season.  The Colonials finished their season also at 6-9.

            Late in the overtime period, junior Heather Everett (Waterboro, Maine/Massabesic) forced a Western turnover and scooped up the ground ball to give USM possession.  The Huskies worked the ball quickly into the offensive zone where Lessard, moving left to right through the defense, let a shot fly that found its way inside the left post for the game-winning goal.

            Southern Maine forced the game into extra time when senior Sarah Pelligrinelli (Southington, Conn.) tied the game scoring her second goal of the game, and 47th of the season, off an assist from Everett with 7:43 remaining in regulation.

            Both sides had to survive free-position attempts in the final three minutes just to get to overtime.  USM senior goalie Caley Presby (Portland, Maine/Deering) stopped sophomore Brooke Hellman (Newington, Conn.) with just under three minutes to play, then stymied Hellman again in the final minute.  Lessard had a chance for USM in the waning seconds, but her shot sailed just over the crossbar.

            In overtime, the Colonials had a chance to win it on a free-position attempt, but junior Destinee Carey's (New Milford, Conn.) bid was wide right.  The Colonials received another free-position attempt, but Presby was up to the task stopping junior Raquel Heitor (Danbury, Conn.), and setting the stage for Lessard.

            in the opening half, USM built a 6-4 lead on the strength of two goals from junior Sam Campobasso (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and two assists from Pelligrinelli.  Pelligrinelli set up Campobasso for a man-up goal that tied the score at 1-1, and later assisted on rookie Kenzie Kidder's (Lyman, Maine/Massabesic) goal to make it 4-2.  Campobasso's second goal came with 5:41 remaining to give the Huskies a 5-3 lead.

            Everett scored her 20th goal of the season to increase the Huskies' lead to 7-4 less than six minutes into the second half.  Over the next 13 minutes, the Colonials would outscore the Huskies 5-1 to take their first lead since the opening minutes of the game.  Carey scored twice in the run, including the goal that put Western up 9-8.  Sophomore Lindsey Eanniello (Danbury, Conn.) scored twice in a span of 18 seconds on free-position attempts to erase a two-goal deficit and tie the game at 8-8.

            Pelligrinelli led USM with four points on her two goals and two assists.  Campobasso had two goals, and rookie Hannah LaSalle (Humarock, Mass./Marshfield) had a goal and two assists.  Everett had another fine all-around game scoring a goal and one assist, scooping up a game-high eight ground balls and causing seven turnovers.  Presby finished with 11 saves.

            Carey led the Colonials with three goals, and reached the 50-goal plateau for the season with her early marker.  Eanniello, junior Meaghan Gustafson (Newington, Conn.) and sophomore Olivia Kosilla (Ellington, Conn.) scored two goals apiece.  Senior goalie Marisa Remley (New Fairfield, Conn.) stopped 10 shots.

            Western Connecticut had a 36-24 edge in shots, a 27-19 advantage in ground balls, and converted four of 11 free-position attempts.  Southern Maine was 0 for 3 on free-position tries. 

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