FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. --- Demi Czynski scored 1:42 into overtime to give Emmanuel University a 15-14 victory over Tusculum University in non-conference women's lacrosse Saturday afternoon.
The Lions (1-2) trailed 12-10 early in the fourth quarter but scored four of the next five goals to go ahead 14-13 with 3:53 left. The Pioneers (1-1) were able to get the tying goal from Reese Remaly with seven seconds left to force overtime, but Czynski scored 17 seconds after the Pioneers went a player down to secure the win for Emmanuel.
Carmella Nilsson led the Pioneers with four goals and three assists, with three goals apiece from Mya Halladay and Elisha Stack. In addition to Remaly, Jessie Carolin-Vandenberg, Marissa Fink and Liberty Jones each had a goal for the Pioneers. For Emmanuel, Taylor Schubert finished with four goals and three assists and Meghan Jennings had five goals and two assists for the Lions, with two goals each from Olivia Wallach, Czynski and Kristie Fisher.
Tusculum outshot Emmanuel 30-24 in the match but the Lions had a 20-11 edge in draw controls. Emmanuel turned the ball over 24 times in the match while Tusculum finished with 17 turnovers, including two in overtime. The Pioneers had a 30-16 advantage in ground balls and went 20-for-23 on clears while Emmanuel was 11-for-15.
The Pioneers scored three of the first four goals to go up 3-1 on a Stack tally with 4:32 left in the opening quarter, but the Lions responded with three goals in just under a minute to go ahead 4-3 after one period. Tusculum opened the second quarter with a four-goal surge that included three goals from Nilsson and an assist on a goal from Stack, as the Pioneers would go on to lead 7-5 at halftime.
A goal from Schubert cut the Tusculum lead to 7-6 early in the second half, but Halladay scored twice and Stack added a goal as the Pioneers went ahead 10-6 with 11:35 remaining in the third quarter. Emmanuel would fight back, scoring four of the next five goals to pull within 11-10 on a goal from Jennings with 2:27 left in the third quarter.
The Pioneers went back up 12-10 on a goal from Carolin-Vandenberg with 12:12 left, but Emmanuel tied in on a goal from Jennings with 6:26 left and went up 13-12 on a Wallach tally with 5:07 to play. Jones responded for the Pioneers with 4:23 left to tie the game at 13-13, but Jennings scored 30 seconds later for a 14-13 Emmanuel lead. The Lions appeared to have the game locked up after forcing a Pioneer turnover with under 20 seconds left, but Nilsson leaped into the air and extended her stick to intercept a pass, then found Remaly open in front for the stunning equalizer with seven seconds to go.
In the overtime, Emmanuel forced a quick turnover but was unable to score. Another Pioneer turnover was followed by a green card advantage for the Lions, and Czynski converted on a pass to the front with 3:18 left in the extra session to give Emmanuel the victory.
Nilsson had five ground balls and two caused turnovers for the Pioneers, while Carolin-Vandenberg had four ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers. Caroline Rauhuff added three ground balls and three caused turnovers for Tusculum, with three ground balls apiece from Katelyn Hiltz, Sofia Rositano and Sophia Didzbalis. Halladay led the Pioneers with six draw controls, while Fink and Remaly had two apiece. Wallach and Fisher each had six draw controls to lead the Lions, with a pair of caused turnovers apiece from Lexie Lee and Jennings.
Tusculum goalkeeper Emily White finished with three saves, with her overtime save on Wallach giving her an even 400 for her Tusculum career. Emily Dawson had two saves for the Lions in 22 minutes, with Avery Atkins making eight stops in the final 43 minutes for Emmanuel.
The Pioneers will play their home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. against Converse. The Valkyries are 1-1 following a 16-3 loss to UVA Wise on Friday, and are 0-5 all-time against the Pioneers including a 14-13 overtime loss to Tusculum last season at home.
