Torres' 13 Saves Backbones 'Cats to 13-12 Win at UConn

Sunday, February 24

Storrs, CT

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

2-1

University of Connecticut

0-4

New Hampshire

UConn

Photo by: Meghan Murphy

2/24/2019 5:01:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Freshman Goalie's Final Save With 66 Seconds Left Secured UNH's First Win vs. UConn Since 2014

STORRS, Conn. – Freshman goalkeeper Issy Torres (Elmhurst, Ill.) recorded 13 saves to backbone the University of New Hampshire women's lacrosse team to Sunday afternoon's 13-12 victory against the University of Connecticut at Sherman Complex.

Torres, whose final save came with 66 seconds remaining to secure the win, was also credited with three ground balls. UNH's defensive effort was also spearheaded by senior captain Elise Chandler (Hopkinton, Mass.), who recorded a career- and team-high four ground balls. She was also credited with two caused turnovers.

UNH's offense was led by Catherine Sexton (Niskayuna, N.Y.), Rylee Leonard (Coventry, R.I.) and Devan Miller (Bristol, R.I.). Sexton finished with five points (three goals, two assists), followed by Leonard (1g, 3a) and Miller (3g).

UConn was led by Sydney Watson (3g, 2a) and Sam McKenna (2g, 2a). Anna Costello and Lia LaPrise scored two goals apiece. Lexi Kenneally also had multiple points with a goal and two assists. Starting goalie Annie Carroll made four saves and exited the game at halftime. Grace Beshlian stopped 5 of 8 shots on goal in the second half.

UNH won its second consecutive game to improve to 2-1. UConn is 0-4.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action March 1 (3 p.m.) at Central Connecticut State.
The Wildcats' next home game is March 17 (12 p.m.) against Iona College.

HOW IT HAPPENED

UConn took an early 1-0 lead on Sydney Watson's goal 36 seconds into the game.
UNH scored goals 46 seconds apart to take a 2-1 lead. Lily Powell (Marcellus, N.Y.) finished a feed from Sexton to net her second goal in as many games at 24:29. Leonard controlled the ensuing draw and set up a goal by Mickenzie Larivee (Amherst, N.H.) at 23:43.
The Wildcats extended the advantage to 3-1 at 22:07 when Sexton picked up a ground ball in the attack zone and netted an unassisted goal.
Watson's free-position tally trimmed the deficit to 3-2 at 18:01.
Torres preserved UNH's one-goal lead with a save on Brooke Jensen's free-position shot at 16:47.
UConn leveled the score, 3-3, on Lia LaPrise's goal at 13:06.
Leonard and Powell scored goals 59 seconds apart to give New Hampshire a 5-3 lead at 11:35.
LaPrise netted her second goal of the game just 30 seconds later, but Torres denied Madison Cook at 10:22 to keep the 'Cats in front, 5-4.
One minute later at the other end of the field, Sexton scored her second goal and Leonard tallied her second assist to extend the lead to 6-4 at 9:22.
That tally was the start of a 5-0 run. Sexton tallied her third goal of the game, this time with the assistance of Larivee at 8:07, to push the margin to 7-4.
Miller's first goal of the game – and Leonard's third assist – gave UNH three goals in 1 minute, 53 seconds and an 8-4 lead.
Torres denied Madison Cook at 6:24 and Watson on a free position at 4:52, then Miller struck again at 4:16 for a 9-4 advantage.
Watson was once again turned away by Torres at 4:03, then Abby Cranney (Amherst, N.H.) converted a free position into a goal and 10-4 lead at 3:33.
UConn scored three consecutive goals overlapping the first and second halves to close within 10-7 with 22:26 remaining.
Miller's third goal ended the Huskies' run and gave the Wildcats an 11-7 advantage at 19:22.
Sam McKenna once again made it a three-goal game at 18:21
Caroline Hernon (Hampton, N.H.) netted her first goal of the season, unassisted, at 13:20.
Cook's free-position goal lifted UConn within 12-9 at 11:23 and prompted UNH to call a timeout.
UConn was issued a yellow card and the Wildcats capitalized on the player-up advantage when Michele Smith (Wantagh, N.Y.) converted a pass from Teagan Northrup (Longmeadow, Mass.) into a goal and 13-9 lead at 10:34.
UConn called time out at 6:33 and Anna Costello scored at 5:56 to lift the home team within 13-10.
Torres yet again denied Watson on a free position and gathered the ground ball at 5:28, but the Huskies regained possession and this time Watson scored on a free-position shot to slice the differential to 13-11 at 4:07.
The Huskies immediately called timeout, and Torres once again denied Watson at 3:25. They maintained possession, however, and McKenna's second goal of the game lifted UConn within 13-12 at 3:03.
Delaney Pratt (Lafayette, Colo.) secured her fourth draw control of the game, but UNH lost possession with 1:43 on the clock.
Torres preserved the Wildcats' one-goal lead with 1:06 remaining on her 13^th save of the game – this one against Caitlin Leary. UConn got the ball back with six seconds left but was unable to attempt another shot.

UNH NOTEBOOK

This was UNH's first win vs. UConn since March 2014 and the first win in Storrs since 2009. The Huskies had won four straight vs. the Wildcats, and each of the past three matchups in Storrs.
Hernon's career-high six draw controls led all players.
Leonard finished with career highs in both assists (three) and points (four). All four points came in the opening 22:31 of the game.
Sexton's three goals matched her career high, and her five points are a season high. All five points were tallied in the opening 21:53 of the game.
Miller's three goals equaled her personal best.
Torres' 13 saves were one less than her benchmark of 14 established in the season opener against Harvard University.
It was the first multiple-goal – and multiple-point – effort by Powell, who finished with two goals.
Larivee's assist was her first as a Wildcat. She leads the 'Cats with 10 points through three games.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

UNH never relinquished the lead after going ahead 4-3 at 12:34 of the first half.
UConn finished with the edge in shots (36-32), shots on goal (25-22), draw controls (13-14) and turnovers (17-19).
UNH recorded the advantage in ground balls (23-17) and clears (17 of 19 in comparison to 15-for-21).
The Wildcats scored on 2 of 7 free-position shots. UConn was 4-for-12.