March 8, 2018
After two overtime periods, a 30-minute clock malfunction delay and three-and-a-half hours of lacrosse in freezing temperatures, Vanderbilt defeated La Salle 11-10 in double overtime on Thursday night in Philadelphia.
Emily Mathewson‘s game-winning goal completed Vanderbilt’s comeback victory. The Commodores (5-1, 0-0 BIG EAST) led for just five out of the 65 minutes against the Explorers (2-3, 0-0 Atlantic 10), but held La Salle scoreless over the final 18 minutes of action.
“It wasn’t our best game, but we have to give credit where credit is due,” Vanderbilt head coach Cathy Swezey said. “La Salle showed up and competed really hard with us… I’m happy we keep finding ways to win and I’m proud of how this year’s team is competing.”
Mathewson, a Philadelphia native, led Vanderbilt with four goals in the win. After missing a free position shot in the first overtime, the sophomore attacker drilled a second free position attempt for the game winner.
“Emily Mathewson had a big day,” Swezey said. “I am so proud of her for coming back to not only create a second eight-meter chance in overtime, but to step up and score. It takes so much courage to put yourself in that position twice and she really stepped up.”
Commodore goalkeeper Madison Foglio tied her career-high with 10 saves in the win, the biggest of which came on a free position attempt with three seconds left in the first overtime period.
“Madison Foglio had a big save in overtime to put us in a position to win,” Swezey said. “The defense stepped up in a huge way in the second half and overtime.”
Vanderbilt never led in a back-and-forth first half, heading into the break tied 7-7. Multiple possession clock malfunctions forced a 30-minute stoppage with 8:47 remaining in the second half. The Dores trailed 10-9 before the lengthy pause, but held the Explorers scoreless from that point on, forcing overtime after Gabrielle Fornia‘s goal tied the game with 5:09 left.
The Commodores came out on top in the three-and-a-half hour marathon, all played in freezing temperatures under the lights in snowy Philadelphia.
“We have had adversity since the minute we landed in Philadelphia yesterday,” Swezey said. “So I’m glad that we had the character to step up and win.”
Vanderbilt had not played an overtime game since April 8, 2015, against Connecticut, and hadn’t won in overtime since March 29, 2014, a 12-11 win over Johns Hopkins. The Dores also snapped a six-game losing streak in one-goal games, dating back to a 10-9 win vs. Elon on February 28, 2016.
The Commodores remain in Philadelphia for the weekend and will face St. Joseph’s Sunday at 11 a.m. CT.
