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Gauchos Succeed In 17-16 Double Overtime Marathon Match

Box Score

Mar. 3, 2012

Santa Barbara, CA - UCSB pulled out a squeaker at home 17-16 in double overtime in a game with the club from UC Davis. The score was 9-8 at the half in favor of the home team and 16-16 at the end of regulation. The 10th ranked Aggies won both draw controls of the first 6 minute overtime period but were held scoreless by the 6th ranked Gauchos.

The first overtime in women's lacrosse is a two 3 minute halves 'most goals wins' game, complete with a new draw after the first 3 minutes. Subsequent overtime periods are of the infamous sudden death format with repeated 3 minute periods and a change of ends each 3 minutes making up each additional 6 minute overtime. The Aggies won the first draw control of the second overtime and again UCSB held UC Davis scoreless on that possession for three more minutes before winning the subsequent draw control and finally having a chance on offense.

As time was winding down, and a third overtime looked possible, UCSB got the golden goal with 12 seconds remaining to get the win. UCSB senior Jordan Venetis (Thousand Oaks, CA) scored unassisted to end the 2 hour and 26 minute match and give the Gauchos the win.

"It's almost fanciful to think a team can be on defense 11 of the 12 minutes played across two overtimes and somehow come out on top," said UCSB head coach Ramsey after the game, "but that's testament to how well our defense and our goalie can play."

At the end of the first half UCSB looked like it might take a 9-6 lead into the intermission. A pass from Lindsay Alex (Tustin, CA) to a wide open Venetis put the Gauchos up by 3 with 4:31 remaining. After a UCSB draw control the Aggies forced a turnover with an immediate double team, won the resulting ground ball and scored on that possession with 2:40 left to halftime. Then after an outright draw control of their own UC Davis kept up the attack and made it a 9-8 halftime score before the half ended.

"We had an opportunity to be up by 3 and perhaps 4 goals at the end of the first half," commented Ramsey.

"Unfortunately we got trapped in the midfield on that next ball when we won the draw and couldn't find our open teammates around us."

The Aggies were aggressive at double teaming immediately on all loose balls all game. Even as UCSB players were still picking up the ball they swarmed it in twos and threes. UC Davis caused 9 Gaucho turnovers in the midfield with that strategy.

"If we get to the loose ball just a little bit quicker and the nearby open teammates communicate earlier and louder and move faster to open space to be an outlet," said Ramsey, "then we don't get trapped like that."

"Plus we can then take advantage of that swarm leaving a lot of us open and get additional looks at the goal in transition."

The second half seemingly lasted two hours all by itself but with about 15 minutes left it was UCSB again up by three goals. Junior Katie Mitchell (Lafayette, CA) scored unassisted 14:13 into the second half to put the Gauchos up 15-12. The Aggies again responded by swarming the ball even more intensely than before and got themselves back into it with a 4-1 scoring burst over an 8 minute period. When Aggie junior attacker Louise Marquino (Wilmington, NC) scored her first goal of the game at 58:23 it capped off a UC Davis comeback and tied the game at 16-16.

"They never laid down the entired time," commented Ramsey. "It was never over for them."

Both teams each had an opportunity turned away by the defense of each team in the closing moments and the game went to extra time. A fantastic defensive stand by UCSB on almost 11 minutes of UC Davis possession in the two overtime periods set up the heroics of Venetis in the second overtime.

UCSB improved to 7-1 while UC Davis dropped to 2-4 with four one goal losses, including two overtime games. The Aggies are at 7th ranked UCLA on Sunday while the Gauchos have 7 days to rest and prepare to play those very same Bruins on Sunday, March 11th, on the UCSB Rob Field turf.