Riverdale, NY – Sophomore Grace Lipponer (Lake Grove, NY / Sachem North) earned a free position attempt with five seconds remaining in the first half of overtime and promptly took advantage, sliding home her first goal of the season to lift Manhattan past La Salle 12-11 at Gaelic Park.
Lipponer's big play secured the first victory for head coach Jenna Dingler with the Jaspers.
Manhattan was led by a pair of hat tricks from seniors Emily Englert (Somers, NY / Somers) and Deb Peifer (Collegeville, PA / Methacton). Peifer also contributed two ground balls and three draw controls for the Jaspers. Senior Emily Sandford (Floral Park, NY / Sacred Heart) won five draw controls while adding two goals, while Lipponer added two goals and an assist.
Opening the scoring for Manhattan in 2020 was Englert, who found the back of the net 51 seconds into the match. La Salle however held a 6-5 halftime lead, and extended the out to three on Bridget Ruskey's fourth goal of the game with 26 minutes left to play. Manhattan would answer with five-straight goals, and six of the next seven to open up an 11-9 lead with 3:10 left to play. However, Madi McJee scored twice in 11 seconds for La Salle to force overtime.A ?? at our first win! pic.twitter.com/sKttv9VVor
— Manhattan WLacrosse (@ManhattanWLax) February 8, 2020
In the extra period, Manhattan got a defensive stop, before Lipponer delivered the game-winning score on the Jaspers' next offensive possession.
The Jaspers return to action at LIU on Wednesday, February 12 in Brookville, NY at 2:00 pm.
Coach Dingler On The Win
Inside the NumbersHear from from our Head Coach Jenna Dingler following victory number 1???? pic.twitter.com/kKb0h8X4C2
— Manhattan WLacrosse (@ManhattanWLax) February 8, 2020
- Manhattan's overtime win was its first since April 20, 2019 when the Jaspers beat Niagara 7-6.
- Dingler is the first Manhattan head coach since at least 1999 to win their first game at the helm of the Jaspers (Previous coaches: 0-6).
- Peifer matched her 2019 season goal total of three in the win with the hat trick.
- Freshman Ashley Gambardella (Bethpage, NY / Plainedge) made her collegiate debut and earned her first career start, making eight saves.
- La Salle held a slight advantage in ground balls (21-17) and draw controls (13-12), while shots were dead even (26-26) with the Jaspers holding a slight advantage in shots on goal (21-19).