SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford women's lacrosse team held a 9-6 edge heading into the final 15 minutes of action on Sunday afternoon, though, Kent State climbed back from the three-goal deficit to knot the score at 10-10 and notch the sudden-death victory in double overtime at Gibbs Stadium, 11-10. The loss drops the Terriers to 1-2 on the season.
 
Junior Olivia Abé led the Terriers with a career-high three goals and two assists for a team-high five points on the day, in addition to two ground balls.
 
Classmate Emma Gentile and senior Shannon Wulff followed with three points apiece, seeing Gentile net two goals and dish a helper, while Wulff posted a solid performance in matching a season-high three assists. Gentile added three draw controls in the contest.
 
Freshman Carley Irvin followed with a consecutive two-goal performance, two ground balls and a caused turnover, as Elisabeth Ralph added a goal along with a season-high six draw controls and four ground balls. Junior Leah Hurley and sophomore Shadan Bankston each added goals to round out the Terriers' scoring, as Hurley also tallied three ground balls.
 
Emma Krasinsksi and Kirsten Flannigan each recorded five ground balls and a caused turnover, while Emma Seif and Abbi Pagano tallied three ground balls apiece. Freshman goalie Ella Smithers finished the game with a career-high seven saves, while Aislinn Washurn added two saves.
 
Despite the loss, Wofford held the shot advantage for the game over the Golden Flashes, 33-29, and recorded 31 ground balls to Kent State's 25.
 
Turnovers down the stretch ultimately came back to haunt the Terriers, as seven Wofford turnovers in the fourth period allowed Kent State to rally back with four goals to end regulation.
 
The Golden Flashes opened the game on the attack with an immediate 3-0 lead through the opening minutes prior to Olivia Abé breaking the silence with her first goal midway through the period. Leah Hurley traded goals with Kent State's Megan Kozar to close the first quarter at 4-2, as the Terriers opened the second with consecutive goals from Carley Irvin and Abé to knot the score at 4-4 by the 12:15 mark.
 
The Flashes traded goals with Irvin to see a 5-5 deadlock with 4:19 left in the half, as Kent State's Lexi Perkarski gave the Flashes the lead on a free-position goal at the halftime break, 6-5.
 
The third quarter would be all Wofford coming out the intermission, as Abé opened the scoring once again unassisted before Elisabeth Ralph and consecutive goals from Emma Gentile boosted a 9-6 cushion with 2:34 left and by the end of the period. Ella Smithers checked in at the half, tallying six saves in the period to hold Kent State scoreless during the run.
 
The Flashes came within one through the opening minutes of the fourth (9-8) before Shadan Bankston snuck one past Kent State's Flannigan off the helper from Wulff to push a two-goal cushion, 10-8. The Flashes' defensive intensity picked up over the frame, as a costly card penalty would allow for a man-up goal with 4:11 to play (10-9), giving the Flashes enough life to go on and secure the equalizer for the 10-10 margin by the end of regulation.
 
Kent State held possession for most of the first overtime period, firing two shots that were off the mark to finish scoreless in summoning another 3-minute period. However, it would only take one opportunity for the Flashes in the second overtime, seeing Megan Kozar secure the winner for Kent State to end the contest at 11-10.
 
Wofford (1-2, 0-0 Big South) is back in action next Saturday, March 5, hosting Kennesaw State at Gibbs Stadium for a 1 p.m. start.