CLINTON, S.C. – Gardner-Webb attacker Alex Fusco scored 1:10 in to overtime to give the Bulldogs (4-12, 2-6 Big South) the 12-11 lead over the Presbyterian College lacrosse team (3-13, 1-6 Big South) on Wednesday evening at Martin Stadium in Clinton, S.C.
Senior Katy Richardson and Lauren Schaaf each netted four goals to lead the Blue Hose. Cady Roberts added two goals and Megan Dreyer added one, while Maura Talvacchia grabbed six ground balls and caused a game-high eight turnovers. Senior Liz Bedell contributed four ground balls and two caused turnovers in her final home game.
The two teams would trade goals early in the first half. The Bulldogs opened the game with early goal by Amanda Steinmuller at the 26:27 mark to make a 1-0 lead. PC would not trail for long as Richardson scored just over a minute later to tie it a 1-1, before Lauren Schaaf gave PC a 2-1 lead a few minutes later.
Gardner-Webb tied the match at 2-2 at the 15:16 mark with another goal by Steinmuller but PC scored back-to-back goals to extend its lead. Cady Roberts scored with 14:44 to play in the first half to make it 3-2, before Schaaf got her second of the match with 12:19 on the clock to put PC in front 4-2. The Bulldogs would then get three straight goals, including two by Alex Fusco, to push back in front 5-4.
Richardson ended the surge by Gardner-Webb with a goal at the 8:06 mark to re-tie the game at 5-5. She later closed out the half with a goal with just 18 seconds left in the opening period to give the Blue Hose a 6-5 advantage.
The Bulldogs tie the match with the first goal of the second half, as Sadie Bryant scored for the second time with a goal at 28:20. Fusco scored her third goal of the match at 23:40 to regain the lead for GWU at 7-6. PC answered quickly with a goal 16 seconds later by Schaaf, her third of the game, to make a 7-7 game.
Roberts helped PC regain the lead with her second goal of the day at the 21:10 mark of the second half to push the score to 8-7 PC. Gardner-Webb tied it at 8-8 with 18 minutes to play with the fourth goal of the game by Fusco. Coming out of a timeout, PC got a goal from Megan Dreyer to retake the lead at 9-8 with 15:08 to play.
Neither team could extend the lead to past one goal in the second half, as GWU got its fifth goal from Fusco on an assists from Steinmuller with 13:33 to play to tie it at 9-9. Richardson netted a big goal late in the game for her fourth of the day to put PC back in front at 10-9. The Bulldogs then evened it at 10 with a goal by Destiny Meade at 7:04 remaining.
Gardner-Webb grabbed the lead with just 1:37 remaining on the sixth goal of the game by Fusco. PC managed to tie the game at 11 with four seconds left with her fourth goal of the game to send it to overtime.
In OT, Gardner-Webb claimed the opening draw but couldn't capitalize on a pair of early chances to end the match. However, Fusco found the back of the net to end the game and give GWU its second conference victory of the year.
Fusco led the Bulldogs with a career-high seven goals, while Steinmuller scored two goals and added an assist. Bryant would chip in two goals and Emma Rufolo and Monique Martin each grabbed four ground balls.
PC concludes the regular season on Saturday at 1 p.m. with a road match against conference foe Liberty.
