University of New Hampshire Athletics
University of New Hampshire
3-5
University of Colorado
3-2
Nock, Hinkle Record Four Points Apiece; Women's Lax Comeback Falls Short, 10-9, at Colorado
3/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
BOULDER, Colo. – Rachael Nock (Severna Park, Md.) and Kayleigh Hinkle (Glenelg, Md.) recorded four points apiece, but University of New Hampshire women's lacrosse team was edged 10-9 by the University of Colorado in Tuesday's non-conference game at Kittredge Field.
UNH, which recorded the edge in both shots (25-22) and draw controls (11-10) and committed fewer turnovers (10-13), is now 3-5 overall. CU, which had a 12-9 advantage in ground balls, is 3-2.
Nock registered a goal and career-high three assists, as well as one ground ball, one draw control and two caused turnovers, while Hinkle tallied three goals, an assist and four draw controls. Laura Puccia (Fairport, N.Y.) scored three goals and Laura McHoul (Westwood, Mass.) finished with a goal and an assist. Kate Clancy (Barrington, R.I.) was credited with six saves.
Colorado was led offensively by Darby Kiernan (3g, 1a), Blair Sisk (2g, 1a), Katie Macleay (2g) and Cali Castagnola (2g). Paige Soenksen made 11 saves.
The Wildcats trailed 6-4 at halftime and the deficit was pushed to three goals when Sisk scored an unassisted goal at 18:23 of the second half. The 'Cats rallied to tie the score, 7-7, on consecutive goals by Puccia at 15:58, McHoul at 12:33 and Hinkle, who set up Puccia's goal, at 9:33.
Castagnola finished a feed from Kiernan to score a player-up goal at 8:02 and give the Buffaloes a lead they would not relinquish. Kiernan potted her third goal of the game to extend the advantage to 9-7 at 6:17. Sisk won the ensuing draw control and struck again 73 seconds later to reestablish the biggest lead of the game, three goals, at 10-7.
The teams exchanged possessions and Colorado called time out at 3:19. Clancy denied Carly Cox at 2:10 and Devan Miller (Bristol, R.I.) gathered the ground ball to give the ball back to UNH.
The Wildcats advanced the ball into the attack zone and McHoul set up Puccia for a goal that lifted the visitors within 10-8 at 1:26. Hope Kissick (Cohasset, Mass.) caused a Buffs turnover with approximately one minute remaining and Puccia scored an unassisted goal to trim the deficit to 10-9 with 55 seconds to play.
UNH's Emma Kriss (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) gained possession of the next draw control to give the Wildcats a chance to tie the game. McHoul fired wide with 25 seconds left. The 'Cats retained possession and called a timeout with 15 seconds to go, but then lost the ball as CU survived the late rally.
New Hampshire built a 3-1 lead the opening 11 minutes of the game as the teams combined to score four goals in a span of 3:05. Nicole Grote (Ellicott City, Md.) converted Nock's pass into her ninth goal of the season for a 1-0 lead at 22:09. Macleay leveled the score just 38 seconds later. Nock scored her sixth goal of the game at 20:03 and set up Hinkle's tally 59 seconds later to give UNH its largest lead of the game, 3-1.
CU held the visitors scoreless for more than 15 minutes to transform a two-goal deficit into a 5-3 advantage. Kiernan ignited the 4-0 run at 15:11 and Castagnola struck 52 seconds later to tie the score at 3.
Soenksen denied Nock at 12:10 to keep the score deadlocked, then Kiernan potted her second goal of the game to give the Buffs their first lead of the game, 4-3, at 10:44. Soenksen then stopped McHoul's free-position shot at 8:49 and Macleay scored at 6:24 to give the home team a 5-3 lead.
Puccia was turned aside by Soenksen at 5:09, but the 'Cats retained possession and Nock fired a shot wide at 4:29. UNH would not be denied, however, as once again Nock set up Hinkle for a goal that lifted the Wildcats within 5-4 at 3:30.
UNH had a chance to tie the score, but McHoul shot wide of the cage on a free position at 2:15. The Wildcats lost possession and were issued a yellow card at 1:47. Colorado advanced the ball to the other end of the field and Castagnola shot wide on a free position with 15 seconds on the clock. Johnna Fusco corralled the ground ball and scored the player-up goal with nine seconds left to send CU into halftime with a 6-4 lead.
New Hampshire returns to action March 21 at home against 17th-ranked Stony Brook University in the America East conference opener for both teams. Game time at Cowell Stadium is 12 p.m.
