April 28, 2006
Storrs, Conn. - Seniors Sarah Bach and Megan Burker combined for seven goals and three assists to guide the Cardinal women's lacrosse team to its first-ever victory over the Connecticut Huskies tonight in Storrs. The 10-7 triumph extends Stanford's winning streak to four games and improves the squad to 9-5 overall. Connecticut was handed its third loss in four games and falls to 5-11 on the season.
Bach wasted no time starting off the final weekend of regular-season play, and found the back of the net within 43 seconds of the opening draw. Less than two minutes later, sophomore Daphne Patterson, who was credited with the assist on Bach's opening goal, knocked in one of her own to give the Cardinal an early 2-0 lead. UConn got on the board at the 4:02 mark with a successful free position attempt by senior Abbey VanDeusen. Bach was quick to answer with her second goal of the match, giving her team a 3-1 lead. The Huskies rallied in the bottom part of the first half, however, and brought the contest into a 3-3 tie at the break.
UConn carried its momentum into the second half and senior Allison Tyminski caught a pass from Janet Williams to give the Huskies their first lead of the match with 27:37 left to play. The Huskies' first lead would be their last, however, as Burker and Bach together netted four goals in just over five minutes to power the Cardinal to a 7-5 lead. VanDeusen capitalized on another free position shot to bring the Huskies within one, but Bach opened up a three-goal Cardinal scoring run with her fourth tally of the night and ended any thoughts of a Connecticut comeback.
Bach's four-goal performance was her second straight and marked her seventh multiple-goal game this season. The Baltimore, Md. native is now just two short of 100 career goals, a feat accomplished by just six Cardinal players in history. Burker added a hat trick and a pair of assists to the Cardinal effort while Patterson contributed two goals and two assists. Sophomore Anna Brown rounded out the Cardinal scoring with her eighth goal of the season and her fourth in the last four outings. UConn was led by VanDeusen's two goals.
Stanford out-shot UConn by a 31-21 margin and won 11-of-19 draw controls. Goalkeeper Laura Shane notched nine saves, collected three ground balls and caused three turnovers to lead the Cardinal defensive effort.
Stanford concludes regular-season play on Sunday, meeting No.10 Cornell in a neutral site match at Harvard University. Opening draw is scheduled for 12:00 (EST).