Pitt
5-12 (0-9ACC)
Clemson
10-6 (3-6ACC)
Panthers Fight 'til the End; Drop Regular Season Finale to Clemson in Overtime
4/18/2024 7:00:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
PITTSBURGH, PA – The Panthers closed out the 2024 regular season giving everything, but ultimately could not finish off Clemson in a tight contest from Highmark Stadium. The Tigers scored the overtime game winner with 2:18 to play in the first period of extra time to seal the win, 12-11.
The ACC battle was close the entire 60+ minutes from Station Square Thursday afternoon. Clemson scored the first two goals, holding the largest lead that either team would the whole night. Freshman Kaitlyn Giandonato netted the first goal for Pitt with 3:33 left in the first quarter, her 13th of the season. The Tigers scored again around two minutes later, but junior Ava Washington scored number 32 of the year to bring the Panthers within one after fifteen minutes. The game would never again see a lead of more than one goal.
Clemson began the second quarter the same way they started the game with a goal less than two minutes in. However, Pitt responded with force and scored four out of five in the remaining 13 minutes of play before halftime. Jill Fenech took a feed from Jenna Hendrickson to open the scoring in the frame, before Sydney Naylor slotted home a free position shot to knot the game at four. After another Tiger goal, Hendrickson grabbed a goal of her own and Giandonato finished off her second of the day.
The Tigers came out of the locker room looking to reeastablish the lead and did just that, with the first two goals. Down 6-7, Giandonato earned her first hat trick in a Panther uniform and tied the game at seven goals a piece. Senior Maureen McNierney took a Naylor pass and placed one past the Clemson goalie to give the Panthers another lead. The back and forth pattern continued though, as Clemson and Pitt alternated the final four goals of the third quarter. Naylor and Emily Coughlin were the remaining goalscorers in the period for Pitt, who took the 10-9 lead into the final fifteen minutes.
The game tightened up after an eight goal third and only saw three scores in the fourth period of play. The Tigers netted the first and the last of the quarter with a Washington goal in between. Naylor had an eight meter attempt with under three minutes left, but she was called for a crease violation to prevent a Panther goal. Each team had a possession in the first half of overtime number one, but neither could find the back of the net. When play resumed in the second half of the extra period, Clemson secured their 20th draw control and ultimately scored to take the game.
Goalie Audrey Moran put up another solid performance, this time with 14 saves and a .538 save percentage. This was her seventh time in 2024 with at least 10 saves. Senior defender Abby Thorne played tough for the Panther defense and recorded five ground balls and two caused turnovers. Elsewhere, freshman Megan Sheridan continued her impressive freshman campaign with one draw control and two caused turnovers.
The Panthers and Tigers will do it all again on Sunday, as Clemson hosts Pitt this time in the first round of the 2024 ACC Championship. More information will be provided soon. For all things Pitt Lacrosse, follow the Panthers on Instagram and X: @Pitt_WLAX.
