Conklin's Game-Winner in 2OT Lifts Women's Lacrosse Past BU, 9-8

Recap, photo courtesy of Harvard

Madison Conklin scored the game-winning goal in double-overtime to help lift Harvard past BU, 9-8. (Gil Talbot)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sophomore Madison Conklin had five points (goal, four assists), including the game-winning goal in double overtime to lift Harvard women's lacrosse (3-2) to a thrilling 9-8 (2OT) win over Boston University (3-3) at Jordan Field.

Keeley MacAfee, Hannah Keating, and Katie Muldoon each scored two goals, and sophomore goalie Grace Rotondo made 10 saves to help the Crimson earn the hard-fought win.

Leading 8-7 late in regulation, Harvard conceded a man-up goal to the Terriers with 13 seconds remaining in regulation. But the Crimson rallied to win behind key saves from Rotondo in the first overtime, followed by Conklin's heroics in the second.

On the game-winner, Conklin took advantage of some miscommunication on the BU defensive end, running into open space and beating BU goalie Kennady Smith (14 saves) with a high shot with 3:59 remaining in the second overtime to win it for the Crimson.

Harvard took its first lead of the contest with a four-goal run, beginning with two consecutive Muldoon goals to tie the game. First, Muldoon scored on a free position shot at 21:16, then she took a pass from Conklin from the right side and fired a quick shot into the net at 17:59 to make it 2-2.

First-year Grace Hulslander (14:20) and MacAfee (13:07) added goals to complete the run.

Harvard would maintain a 5-4 lead at the break, with senior captain Nicole Baiocco (10:20) accounting for Harvard's last goal of the half.

Both defenses dominated the second half, with Harvard edging in front 7-5 on goals from MacAfee (14:44) and Keating (10:32).

After BU tied the score with just over two minutes to play, it appeared that Keating would send the Crimson home with a regulation win with her goal with :47 to play. But after BU's late score, the game was destined for a more dramatic finish.
Harvard Highlights

• Harvard outshot BU 38-23 for the game and had a 30-23 edge on ground balls, and an 11-10 margin on draw controls.
• Both Caroline Garrity and Shea Jenkins led the Crimson with four ground balls and four draw controls each.
• Sophomore Madison Conklin (goal, four assists) matched her career high with five points and her four assists set a new career mark.

Game Notes

• Harvard improved to 14-12 in the all-time series against BU, notching its third straight win against the Terriers on its home field.
• Harvard played its first double-overtime game since May 2, 2014 – a 10-9 loss to Penn in the Ivy League Tournament, and won its first double-overtime game since a 9-8 win over James Madison on March 6, 2012.