Box Score
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Jaspers dropped a thrilling 13-12 overtime decision to the Sacred Heart Pioneers on Wednesday afternoon. With the loss, Manhattan falls to 2-5 on the spring.
Sacred Heart scored the first two goals of overtime to take a 13-11 lead with 2:34 remaining in the second period of added time. Junior Domenica O'Brey gave the Jaspers hope when she scored with 1:15 remaining to cut the lead to 13-12, but the Pioneers controlled possession the rest of the way and ran the clock to zero.
It was a back-and-forth contest the whole way through with the two sides exchanging blows for a majority of the second half. Manhattan scored the first three goals of the second frame to take a 6-3 lead thanks to tallies by sophomore Megan Yarusso, freshman Darby Nolan and senior Kelsey Rehain. Sacred Heart came storming back with an 8-3 run to take an 11-9 lead. Shelby Vaccaro had a game-high six goals for the Pioneers, all of which came on that run. Yarusso and sophomore Stefanie Ranagan would score in the final two minutes of regulation to send the game to overtime.
Yarusso finished the afternoon with a team-high four goals. Junior Donna Jo DiNorcia recored a hat trick in the outing. She netted all three of her goals in the first half and was the only Manhattan player to score during the first 30 minutes.
Senior Maria Toscano also scored a goal in the meeting.
The Jaspers played a pretty balanced defensive game as a team. Yarusso, Ranagan and juniors Alex Rousseau and Caitlin Hynes each collected a team-high three ground balls. Yarusso, Rousseau, Hynes and senior Carly Eskenazi caused a team-high two turnovers apiece. Junior starting goalkeeper Christina Fiorinelli made 11 saves in the game.
The Jaspers return to action on Tuesday, March 25, when they head back on the road to take on LIU Brooklyn at 4 p.m.
