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Gauchos Upset by Georgia in Overtime

Box Score

Feb. 15, 2009

Santa Barbara, CA - The University of Georgia came out smoking hot in the final game of the Santa Barbara Shootout for the Bulldogs and UCSB. Georgia pulled off the upset in overtime, winning 9-8. Georgia was ranked 10th in the Lacrosse Magazine pre-season poll while UCSB was ranked 4th. The loss followed a solid 9-7 UCSB win over defending WDIA National Champion Colorado State. Georgia's intensity didn't show on the scoreboard at first. UCSB took a 1-0 lead when junior Samantha Lutz (San Diego, CA) fed freshman Maegan Cruse (San Diego, CA) a little more than a minute into the game. The Bulldogs responded with two unassisted goals, one coming on a free position shot after a UCSB foul on a Georgia scoring attempt, but then the Gauchos scored two more assisted goals to lead 3-2 at half-time. Junior Maggie Aker (Oakland, CA) passed to sophomore Alyssa Nelsen (Denver, CO) for the first tally and then junior Francesca Perrone (Davis, CA) passed to senior  Katie Moran (San Rafael, CA).

UCSB had several opportunities to distance themselves before the intermission while outshooting the Bulldogs 14-5 during the half but still the scoreboard read just a one goal lead and that gave Georgia some hope. Loud celebration cheers from the Georgia sideline followed every Bulldog goal during the game. Another foul by UCSB gave Georgia midfielder Kathryn Blum a free position shot and it was knotted up at 3-3 1:05 into the second half. UCSB went ahead 4-3 when senior Kateri McLucas (Walnut Creek, CA) fed from the top to Moran cutting up from below. She turned hard to cage and found some open net for the goal. That was at 3:20 into the second half but then UCSB didn't score again for 18 minutes.The Gauchos only managed to take 6 shots in the second half.

"Our shots on goal need to be more balanced," understated UCSB head coach Paul Ramsey. "This is two games in a row we outshot the other team in the first half but they outshot us in the second half."

"On the flip side we caused a lot of Georgia turnovers today and created a lot of opportunities to be on offense, we just didn't capitalize on them."

The Bulldogs certainly made good use of their possessions. Georgia scored three goals over a 12 minute span to take a 2 goal lead at 6-4. At about the four minute to go mark the Gauchos found a second wind when Aker was fouled on her way to goal and scored on her free position with 3:40 left in regulation. Then with 44 seconds left Aker scored again unassisted to get the game to 6-6. A UCSB draw control resulted in a drive to goal for a chance to win it in regulation but Georgia double teamed and put the ball on the ground for a scramble as time ran out to send the game into six minutes of a most goals wins over-time.

UCSB sophomore Ashley Antoon-Algieri (San Ramon, CA) gave UCSB the first goal of the overtime with an unassisted goal just 17 seconds into it. Then Georgia scored a goal with 4:07 remaining in the extra period on an unassisted goal by Heidi Knoblock to tie it again at 7-7. Laura Bean put the Bulldogs up 8-7 on an unassisted goal but UCSB responded with an unassisted goal by Nelsen to make it 8-8. The silencer for UCSB was Georgia's Lindsey Gipson scoring unassisted with 19 second left in the overtime.

"We're better than we played today but it's not about who is supposed to better," said Ramsey.  "It's all about who plays better and gets excited to play each and every time out."

"That was certainly Georgia today but we have better lacrosse in front of us," concluded Ramsey. "Last year we had a little bit of a peak at this event and this year we didn't."

"That means there are three more peaks coming this season so we're looking forward to them."