University of Louisville
Ohio State
Women's Lacrosse Falls to Ohio State
March 04, 2014 | Women's Lacrosse
March 4, 2014
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville women's lacrosse team spent a majority of Tuesday's match with the lead over Ohio State until the Buckeyes' scored five-consecutive goals in the second half and held on for a 12-11 victory in Columbus, Ohio.
Nikki Boltja recorded her second of four unassisted goals to open the second half and give the Cardinals (4-2) a 7-6 lead. Less than a minute later, Faye Brust delivered Louisville a two-goal cushion with a tally at the 27:54 mark. After an Ohio State goal cut the deficit to one, Kaylin Morissette scored her second of two goals at the 19:24 mark to push the lead back to two at 9-7.
Louisville's second-half lead was short lived though, as Ohio State went on a 5-0 run beginning at the 16:53 mark.
The Buckeyes' Cian Dabrowski, who finished with a hat trick, netted consecutive goals within two minutes of each other, including the game-tying goal at 14:01. Kaila Gottlick then scored an unassisted goal to push Ohio State (3-3) ahead 10-9, and the Buckeyes never trailed after that point. Ohio State tacked on two more to distance itself 12-9.
A pair of late goals by Boltja and Brust with less than three minutes in regulation brought Louisville within one at 12-11, but Ohio State's defense held the Cardinals scoreless for the final 1:13 for the victory.
Ohio State limited Louisville to just six ground balls and four draw controls in the second half, and the Cardinals didn't attempt any free-position shots in the second half.
The Cardinals also struggled in the second period, clearing the ball on just 3-of-6 occasions.
Much of the first half belonged to Louisville. After allowing an Ohio State goal to open the game, Louisville compiled two three-unanswered runs in the first 17 minutes of action. Boltja tied the game at one before scores by Colleen O'Malley and Brust made it 3-1 in favor of Louisville.
Morissette sparked the second run at the 20:28 mark, and Boltja followed suit with the team's second-consecutive unassisted goal. O'Malley capped the run on a pass from Boltja for Louisville's largest lead of the game, 6-2.
Ohio State made a run of its own, ending the half with four-straight scores to tie it at six.
Morissette, who has been a force on the draw this season, was held to a season-low four draw controls, and the Cardinals finished on the wrong end of a 15-10 advantage in that category. Jamie Redding was credited with two assists and had a team-best four ground balls.
The two programs met last year in Louisville in a score that mirrored Tuesday's, with Louisville posting a 12-11 decision over Ohio State on Feb. 16.
The Cardinals continue their three-game stretch on the road with a contest at No. 13 Notre Dame on Saturday, March 8, in South Bend, Ind. First draw at Arlotta Family Lacrosse Stadium is 1 p.m. ET.
For the latest information on Louisville women's lacrosse, log on to GoCards.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/LouisvilleLax or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UofLLacrosse.
