CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Boston College’s Sarah Mannelly held the ball and stood still as the clock ticked and fans waited. Some of Syracuse’s bench players squatted while others wrapped arms around each other’s shoulders in anticipation.

For about five minutes, the Eagles kept the ball for one final shot and didn’t attack SU’s goal until there were just seconds left in regulation. Finally, when BC’s Caroline Margolis shot, Orange goalie Kelsey Richardson popped the ball into the air with her stick and caught it.

Nearly every player on Syracuse’s bench leapt into the air as the game was headed to overtime.

“I was just trying to stay patient, just trying to keep us alive,” Richardson said. “I wasn’t about to go home tonight. You win or you go home”

Following several crucial saves by Richardson, No. 6-seed Syracuse’s (12-6, 3-4 Atlantic Coast) Kayla Treanor scored the game-winning goal in double overtime to send Syracuse to the ACC tournament semifinals. SU prevailed 14-13 over No. 3-seed Boston College (14-3, 5-2) in the quarterfinals at Klockner Stadium on Thursday night thanks in large part to Richardson’s 11 saves. Syracuse will now take on No. 2-seed Duke (14-2, 5-2) on Friday at 3 p.m.

In the first half of the first overtime, Boston College executed a similar gameplan as at the end of regulation. After winning the draw control, BC held on for 2:30 of the three-minute period.

Finally, when Mannelly shot, Richardson again made the save.

In between overtime periods, Richardson paced around the perimeter of the Orange’s huddle. She told teammate and fellow senior Caroline Grosso that she wanted to be roommates for at least one more night. With clutch save after clutch save, Richardson helped make that come true.

“Kelsey played great,” SU head coach Gary Gait said. “That’s what we need. It’s playoff lacrosse.”

Richardson’s contributions weren’t limited to overtime, though. She made seven saves in the first half and four during Syracuse’s 5-0 run to start the game.

Six minutes in, Mannelly took a low shot off a free-position opportunity. Richardson dropped to her right knee as she stuck her stick to the left and made the stop.

About five minutes later, Richardson made two more saves on Mannelly within a nine-second span.

“You got to step up and make some saves and she did today,” Gait said. “Especially in that first half, she played outstanding.”

Though Mannelly went on to score five goals, Richardson stifled her at first.

And when the game hung in the balance, it was Richardson’s experience against BC’s earlier shots that made the difference, she said.

“If someone’s getting hot, we try to focus on them,” Richardson said. “For me, shooting, I try to see any tendencies where they shoot a lot, try to focus and pick up on those.”

After the game, Syracuse’s players repeatedly hugged each other while players’ parents crowded the bleachers behind SU’s bench.

And when asked about Richardson, Orange attack Halle Majorana took a step back and exhaled.

“Kelsey’s one of our biggest leaders on the team and her presence in goal is amazing,” Majorana said. “She’s one of the best goalies I’ve ever played with.”

Published on April 24, 2015 at 12:08 am

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