WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – First-year Danielle Allen converted a free position shot with 1:32 remaining in the overtime to give Salem lacrosse a 16-15 win over Randolph on Feb. 22, marking the second win in the program history at Varsity Field.
Allen, who drew a foul from the WildCats' Jenn Weigle, provided Salem with its eighth goal of the second half.
The Spirits were led offensively in the game by sophomore Teia Horton, who finished with five goals on seven shots. Also coming through with multi-goal performances for the Spirits were Collette Vladimery (four), Sara Jimenez (three) and Hope Morrison (two). Hannah Ostlund anchored the Spirit defense with nine saves.
Randolph (1-1) scored two goals inside the first five minutes of the second half, which came from Shannon McQuaid and Sarah Perry, to assume a 12-9 lead. Vladimery answered with a strike for the Spirits at the 24:47 mark and Jimenez followed with a free position goal just over two minutes later to move Salem within one goal, 12-11.
Emily Laframboise briefly pushed the Randolph margin back to two with a goal at 17:46, the Spirits scored four unanswered over a 9:55 span, to forge ahead 15-13. The first goal in that stretch came from Horton at the 17:28 mark. That was followed by a strike from Morrison at 12:11 and Horton again found the back of the net at 11:34. Vladimery notched the 15th goal for the Spirits with 7:51 remaining.
Randolph amped up its defensive efforts, while Laframboise and McQuaid scored goals at the 6:18 and 3:31 mark, respectively, to pull even at 15. The two teams were scoreless over the 3:31 of regulation before heading to overtime.
A turnover by the WildCats' Chrissy Shackleford gave Salem the ball with 2:02 remaining, which set up the game-winning Allen strike.
The Spirits scored eight goals on 12 shots in the opening half with multi-goal performances by Horton and Vladimery.
Randolph opened scoring at the 28:32 mark with a strike by Perry, but the Spirits quickly answered with a goal just over a minute later by Horton to even the game at 1-1. The WildCats moved in front 3-1 with back-to-back goals by Emily Laframboise and Perry, which came at the 24:44 mark.
Horton notched the second Spirits goal of the game at 22:53, but consecutive strikes by Randolph's Perry and Allie Fields extended the WildCat lead to 5-2 with 17:55 left in the first.
Salem's offense found its rhythm with consecutive goals from Vladimery and Sara Jimenez, which trimmed the WildCat lead to 5-4. Fields and Perry converted goals for the Wildcats at the 13:23 and 13:09 marks, respectively, providing Randolph with a three-goal cushion, 7-4.
Vladimery found the back of the net for her second goal of the game at the 10:08, slicing the margin to two, but Randolph responded with a strike by Perry to make for an 8-5 lead.
The Salem defense held the WildCats scoreless while Anzley Kemmerer and Horton drove home a pair of goals to slice the lead to 8-7. Randolph followed with two goals inside the final 1:33 of play, but Hope Morrison notched a goal for Salem, as the WildCats led 10-8 at the intermission.
Salem returns to action on Feb. 28 when the Spirits head to Bristol, Va., for a clash with Southern Virginia at 6 p.m. For more information on Salem lacrosse check out www.salemspirits.com.
