April 28, 2006
Box Score
Duquesne out-scored UMass 9-7 in the second frame to overcome a 4-2 halftime deficit, but the game would be decided in overtime with the host Minutewomen taking a 12-11 edge. Kelly Mulford led the Dukes and the game with four goals while Meredith Williams, Courtney Tamasitis and Ashley Wood each posted two scores for Duquesne. Keeper Meredith Norris stopped 11 UMass shots.
The Minutewomen were led by Kristina Twichell and Meghan Reddy with three goals each.
UMass took a 2-0 lead to open the game before Mulford put the Dukes on the board unassisted with just over 8:00 off the clock. The Minutewomen extended their lead to 3-1 on a Lindsay Cassell goal followed by Mulford goal for Duquesne for a 3-2 reach with 11:05 ticking. UMass found the back of the DU cage with 9:30 remaining to take a 4-2 lead into the half.
Duquesne, which has played strong second halves all year, used solid play after the break to overcome the halftime deficit, but saw its hopes of victory fall short. Ashley Smith brought the Dukes to a 4-3 reach with just :53 off the clock before Williams tied the game at 4-4 with 2::42 into the frame, but the Minutewomen answered with a score 6:28 in for a 5-4 lead. Wood sparked a 5-0 Duquesne drive knotting the game 5-5 at the 11:25. Tamasitis gave DU a 6-5 edge before Wood scored from McNish to up the DU lead to 7-5 with 12:00 ticking. Williams followed with a free position goal for an 8-5 edge and a Mulford goal from McNish with 15:39 off the clock followed for a 9-5 edge. UMass ended their scoreless streak with a goal with 11:47 ticking before a Tamasitis score for a 10-6 Duquesne edge with just over nine minutes to go. The Minutewomen rattled off a 5-0 drive of their won to take an 11-10 edge as 1:01 showed, but Mulford scored after the Dukes won the draw for an 11-11 game with :53 on the clock that would be send it into overtime.
Kathleen Typadis gave UMass a 12-11 edge on a free position goal with just :30 off the first overtime period. The Dukes got off a shot and recovered the ground ball, but turned the ball over with under 1:00 to go. Norris would save the UMass shot in the final seconds of the first OT frame. The second period of the 6:00 OT period saw UMass hold possession until 1:10 when the Dukes forced a turnover. UMass stopped two back-to-back shots with :48 ticking to secure the win.
The Dukes conclude their regular season this Sunday in a 1:00 pm contest at Temple with their hopes on an A-10 Championship berth still alive. The Dukes need a win over the Owls and UMass to lose at George Washington Sunday to advance to the A-10 tourney.
