MONTCLAIR, N.J. (February 28, 2015) – Despite four goals and one assist from senior attack Caitlyn Hughes, the Stevens Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team fell in its season-opener at Montclair State University, 9-8, in overtime.
 
The Ducks drop to 0-1 with the loss, while the Red Hawks improve to 1-0.
 
Trailing 8-6 with 3:24 to play following the Red Hawks' third-straight score, the Ducks roared back to tie the game at eight with 53 seconds on the clock.
 
Sophomore midfielder Mary Beth Irwin caused a turnover to give Stevens possession with less than three minutes left, and junior midfielder Erika Wilcox put away a feed from Hughes with 1:26 on the clock. After MSU won the draw control, a turnover and ground-ball-pickup from sophomore defender Betsy Crossland gave the Ducks a chance to tie. Following a timeout, Stevens wasted no time in evening the score at eight as Hughes poured in her fourth goal of the game with 53 seconds remaining.
 
Neither team was able to create a shot after the final Hughes goal and headed to overtime.
 
Montclair took the first draw control and went on top 9-8 just 42 seconds into the extra period, and did not give up possession in the first half of the overtime.
 
After gaining possession with 2:26, the Ducks were unable to generate a clean look and Montclair was able to take control of the ball with 1:31 to go. From that point, the Ducks were could not to force the turnover they needed, eventually falling by the 9-8 final.
 
Freshman midfielder Julianna Ricci scored the first goal of her career 6:11 into the game, and Hughes made it 2-0 Ducks with her first. MSU ran off four-straight markers to open a 4-2 margin with 13:38 left in the first, before sophomore attack Mariel Haubrich pulled the Ducks within one (4-3) with a shade over 10 minutes to play in the first.
 
The two teams would go into the break with the score remaining 4-3 in favor of the hosts, and just 1:13 into the second stanza the Red Hawks went on top by two.
 
Stevens countered with a 3-0 run featuring a pair of Hughes scores and the first of the day from Wilcox to take a 6-5 margin with 21:53 left, but the see-saw affair continued as MSU reclaimed a two-goal margin (8-6) with a 3-0 run of its own to setup of the thrilling ending.
 
Stevens finished with a 23-20 edge in shots and was 17-for-22 on clears. Fifteen of the Ducks' shots were on target, with the Red Hawks holding a 13-8 margin in draw controls. Stevens won the ground-ball-battle, 30-26.
 
Sophomore midfielder Kathleen Kalbian, sophomore defender Madison Annitto, senior defender Amanda Ingersoll and Irwin each caused two turnovers, with Kalbian, Wilcox and Irwin all notching multiple draw controls. Kalbian, Annitto, Ricci and Ingersoll each scooped up four ground balls, and freshman goalie Stephanie Schnelzer made eight saves in her collegiate debut.
 
The Ducks will look to get into the win column on March 4 when they visit Madison, N.J. and FDU Florham at 4 p.m.
 
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