DENVER – The No. 8 University of Denver women's lacrosse team and No. 20 Connecticut went to overtime for the second-consecutive year, this time Julia Gilbert played hero, bouncing one just under the crossbar on the Pioneers first possession of the extra session to send the Pios past the Huskies on Saturday afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
The Pioneers stuck together for 60 minutes to overcome a 20-11 deficit in the draw circle, a 32-26 deficit in fouls and a 5-1 deficit in the yellow card count to come out on top in this crucial affair in the BIG EAST standings.
 
On the defensive side, Victoria Macres played the final 25:17 off the bench, making five saves, while only giving up three goals down the stretch to secure the win. Denver's defense was disruptive once again, earning 11 caused turnovers, including three apiece from Gracie DeRose and Ellie Curry and a pair from Kailee Lammers and Bryn McCaughey.
 
On the other end, the Pioneers got hat tricks from Julia Gilbert (3G-1A), Ellie Curry (3G-1A) and Raegan Wilson (3G) to lead the way. Bea Behrins had two goals and two helpers in the win, while Kayla DeRose had a goal and two assists.
 
FIRST QUARTER:
Lauren Black got the scoring started on the Pioneers first possession 44 seconds in. UConn then rattled off the next four goals to race out to a 4-1 lead.
 
Denver was able to stop the run and get three of its own in a row to make it 4-4 at the end of the opening quarter.
 
Curry, Wilson and Gilbert scored in the run for the Pioneers, including a woman-down goal for Gilbert off a beautiful feed from Behrins.
 
SECOND QUARTER:
UConn scored three of the first four in a much lower scoring second quarter, but a pair of goals from Curry in the frame, including the final goal of the half with nine seconds left cut the Huskies lead to 7-6 at the intermission.
 
THIRD QUARTER:
Denver and UConn alternated the first six goals of the half, making it 10-9 Huskies with 7:44 to play in the third. Kayla DeRose found twine, followed by free-position goals by Behrins and Wilson in the run. Sloane Kipp gave Denver its first back-to-back tallies since the first quarter to finally even the score up again at 10-10 with 5:38 to play.
 
The Huskies and Pioneers would once again trade the next four goals, including tallies from Wilson and Behrins to send the battle of unbeatens in the BIG EAST to the fourth quarter tied at 12-12.
 
FOURTH QUARTER:
Gilbert's second of the afternoon came from the free-position arc with 9:40 left to give Denver its first lead since the opening seconds of the contest, but Madelyn George equalized on the following possession even things up at 13-13.
 
Both defenses stood tall down the stretch with the help of posts on both ends to send the teams into an extra session for the second-consecutive season.
 
OVERTIME:
Curry made the play of the game on the defensive end, stick-checking it away from UConn's Sydney Watson after Watson won her 20^th draw control of the day.
 
The Pioneers cleared to setup the game's final possession. Kayla DeRose came around a Behrins screen outside the arc and picked out the run of Gilbert who took two steps before bouncing it off the top of the crease and into the back of the net for the victory.  
 
UP NEXT: Denver returns to the road next week when the Pioneers take on Georgetown in the nation's capital. Opening draw is set for Saturday at 12 p.m. MT.

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