April 20, 2011
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
NASHVILLE – The 17th-ranked Vanderbilt women’s lacrosse team wrapped up its 2011 regular season schedule on Wednesday with a 12-10 overtime victory against Notre Dame.
Prior to the game, Vanderbilt honored the six graduating members of its senior class. And it turned out to be senior Katherine Denkler who scored the game-winning goal in the extra period on her only shot of the game.
The Fighting Irish had done quite a job defending VU’s leading goal scorer, but just a minute and a half into overtime Denkler drew a UND foul. She would connect on the free-position shot — Vanderbilt’s fifth eight-meter goal of the game — to power the Dores to victory. Sophomore defender Paige Cahill added an insurance goal with 23 seconds remaining to make the final 12-10 margin.
Vanderbilt scored the first four goals of the game and held Notre Dame scoreless for more than 14 minutes. But the Irish would fight back to score seven of the game’s next nine goals and take their only lead at 7-6.
The Commodores scored the final three goals of the first half to take a 9-7 advantage into the break. After combining for 16 goals in the first half, the teams settled in to a slowed second half. Notre Dame tied the game at the 20:47 mark of the second half, 9-9, but could not grab the lead.
After the teams again traded goals, neither squad would find the back of the net in the final 10 minutes of regulation.
Both goalkeepers had impressive days. VU sophomore Chelsea Pasfield stopped nine shots, including a key save in overtime. UND’s Ellie Hilling made eight of her 11 saves in the second half.
Nine different Commodores tallied goals, with senior Emily Franke and juniors Courtney Kirk and Hannah Clark each scoring twice. Other goals came from Denkler, junior Kendall Pittinger, Cahill and fellow sophomore Carly Linthicum, and freshmen Katie Mastropieri and Abby Wheeler. Tewaaraton Award nominee Ally Carey was held scoreless for the first time in 13 games, but the junior midfielder racked up four ground balls, four caused turnovers and two draw controls.
Concluding the regular season with a record of 8-7, the Commodores will have a couple weeks off before the 2011 American Lacrosse Conference Tournament makes its Nashville debut, May 5-7. The Vanderbilt Lacrosse Complex will play host to six teams that are currently ranked in the IWLCA’s Top 20.
