GATLINBURG, Tenn. --- Jenna Piazza scored with 1:20 left in the first overtime period to give the University of Montevallo a 14-13 victory over Tusculum University in non-conference women's lacrosse Friday evening at Rocky Top Sports World.
Piazza had a game-high four goals and an assist for the Falcons (2-3), who led 13-10 with six minutes left only to see the Pioneers (1-1) come back and tie the match on goals from Mackenzie Sherrod, Mya Halladay and Liberty Jones, the latter with 2:19 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The goal from Piazza came on the only shot of the overtime period, as the Pioneers twice had possession in the extra frame but turned the ball over both times. The match was just the second overtime game in the program's 11-year history and the first since a 14-13 loss to Wingate on April 22, 2017.
Elisha Stack had three goals and two assists for the Pioneers, with two goals and two assists from Cassidy Bourne and two goals apiece from Sherrod, Halladay and Sophia Didzbalis. Jones and Kayla Nuccio also scored for the Pioneers, who were outshot 32-24 in the match by the Falcons.
Claire Withington had three goals and two assist for Montevallo, with three goals and an assist from Mikaela Barbieri and a goal apiece from Kiley Shea, Asha Jamieson, Ellery Shearer and Carsyn Tinney, who ended the match as the Falcons' goalkeeper and was credited with the victory.
Tusculum trailed 4-0 midway through the first quarter before goals from Sherrod and Bourne cut the margin in half. Barbieri's second of the day stretched the Falcons' lead to 5-2 with just 10 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. Montevallo outshot Tusculum 14-4 in the second quarter, but the teams traded off goals until another late score from Barbieri gave the Falcons a 10-5 lead at halftime.
The Pioneers scored twice in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the third quarter to pull within 10-7, then scored the final three goals of the frame to trim the deficit to 11-10 entering the fourth.
Goals from Withington and Piazza pushed the Falcons up 13-10 with 6:02 to play, but with its top two goalies sidelined by injury the Falcons received another blow as converted field player Marin Lewis had to go to the bench with 5:15 left, forcing Tinney to slide between the pipes. Tusculum took immediate advantage, scoring on three straight shots from Sherrod, Halladay and Jones to tie the match at 13-13 with 2:19 to go.
At the other end, Tusculum keeper Emily White kept the match tied by making three saves in a span of 30 seconds, with the Pioneers getting the ball back with 32 seconds left. However, Tusculum was unable to get off a shot and the match went to overtime.
Montevallo had the first possession of overtime and turned the ball over on a shot clock violation, but Tusculum could not get a shot as the first three-minute segment ended. The Pioneers won the draw to start the second three-minute portion of the first overtime, but again turned the ball over to the Falcons. Piazza would be fouled and converted the free-position shot to give the Falcons the win.
Halladay had nine draw controls for the Pioneers, while Celeste Raya led Tusculum with five ground balls and two caused turnovers. For Montevallo, Bridget Quayle led with eight draw controls and Shea finished with a team-high four ground balls.
Montevallo had a 20-12 edge in draw controls, while both teams had 18 ground balls. The Pioneers turned the ball over 23 times to 22 for the Falcons, and Montevallo was 17-for-21 on clears with Tusculum finishing at 19-for-26.
White made 13 saves in goal for the Pioneers, including six stops in the fourth quarter, while Lewis had three saves in 55 minutes and Tinney did not make a save in her nearly 10-minute stint in goal.
Tusculum will be on the road to face Converse in a non-conference match on Monday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. The Valkyries, who lost 16-15 to Montevallo in their season opener, will bring an 0-3 record into Monday's contest.
