Tennessee Drops Tough Overtime Game to AuburnBox Score
Mar. 4, 2011 The University of Tennessee Men’s Lacrosse team hosted Auburn University on March 4. The Volunteers controlled the first three quarters of the game, but weren’t able to finish the Tigers in the fourth quarter. The two teams found themselves in overtime where the Tigers won on a controversial goal.
The first quarter’s first goal was scored by Auburn just over two minutes into the game during a settled offensive possession. Tennessee took advantage of a Tiger’s turnover as senior attackmen John Wilson (Franklin, Tenn.-Ravenwood) scored against a retreating goalie. With just over three minutes left in the quarter a pair of Tennessee’s talented freshmen hooked up when attackmen Jack Donelan (Brewster, NY-Brewster) found midfielder Fran Chatfield (Cincinnati, OH-Seven Hills) for a quick stick goal.
Tennessee took the two goal momentum into the second quarter with junior midfielder Woody Kidd (Burke, VA-Lake Braddock Secondary) found the wide open junior attackmen Chris McDonald (Germantown, Tenn.-Houston). McDonald had only begun what would become an outstanding quarter as he spun and scored the Vols’ next goal after junior defenseman Mike Kinsey (Franklin, Tenn.-Ravenwood) delivered an impressive fast break pass. The scoring continued for Tennessee when Tray Harrell (Marietta, GA-Kell HS) blew by his defender for the team’s fifth goal of the game. The following face off was a scrum that Auburn controlled and quickly scored before the defense was able to reset themselves. Another Tigers goal came soon thereafter on another six on six possession, yet up that point Tennessee’s defense had prevented Auburn from getting many opportunities. Before halftime, Tennessee again was able to capitalize late when Donelan found McDonald for his third goal of the quarter.
With Tennessee leading 6-3 the Auburn Tigers came out determined to erase their three goal deficit. Auburn scored an almost instant goal to start the third and followed that score with two more goals to tie the game at six. The Vols bent but did not break as they began a run of their own when Wilson found Chatfield, who snagged the low pass and scored while falling to the turf. It was Wilson’s turn to score again when junior midfielder John Ellis Porter (Franklin, Tenn.-Franklin) threaded a pass to him, putting Tennessee up by two. Wilson then couldn’t help but to continue to contribute as he found Kidd for his first score of the game. Again however the Tigers were able to answer with a fast break goal on the following face off. Tennessee then continued its run of late quarter goals when freshman defenseman Bryce Patterson (Milton, GA-Milton) found Donelan with under a minute to go on a fast break. Tennessee had capped off an exciting third quarter and took a 10-7 lead into the fourth.
The fourth quarter was a series of punches that nearly knocked the Vols out after they seemingly had taken Auburn out of the game a quarter earlier. The Tigers scored their first goal of the quarter with 9:33 to play cutting the deficit to two. In a matter of three and a half minutes the Tigers would score three unanswered goals to take a stunning 11-10 lead. Tennessee didn’t give up though with 4:16 left in the game Chatfield spotted Kidd on the crease for the game tying goal. Neither team would score again in the fourth and as overtime loomed no one could predict the outcome that followed.
As overtime began, Tennessee attempted to control the face off but before they crossed midfield the ball was turned over. The Auburn Tigers set up their six man offense and what only took a few seconds seemed to happen in slow motion for many of UT’s players. An Auburn player wrapped around the goal to find an open cutter who, to most, seemed to nail the pipe with his shot.
That is when the whistle was blown and Tennessee felt the final crushing blow in a hard fought game between two intense rivals. Arguments as to whether the overtime goal was legitimate can be made, however the Tennessee Volunteers must take more from that game than controversy. They will soon play in the Volunteer Invitational in Memphis, Tenn. and face three good opponents in Indiana, Texas A&M and Connecticut. The team realizes in order to win those three games they will have to cut down on the turnovers and missed opportunities and finish games to bring their record to 5-3.
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