TOWSON, Md. – Sophomore midfielder Kaitlyn Montalbano had a team-high five points to lead the No. 20 Towson University women's lacrosse team to a 13-10 over the University of Connecticut in the regular season finale for both squads. The Tigers (13-3) won for the seventh time in the last eight games as they celebrated their seniors prior to the final home game.

THE BASICS
No. 20 Towson 13, UConn 10
Johnny Unitas® Stadium, Towson, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Towson found itself down early as UConn's Alexandra Crofts tallied the first goal of the game at 28:59.
• The Tigers responded with a 3-0 run and took a 3-1 lead with 23:24 to play in the half. Sophomore midfielder Emily Gillingham had a goal and an assist for the Tigers during that stretch.
• The two squads traded goals and the Tigers held a 4-2 lead with 16:09 to go in the stanza.
• The Huskies (12-4) scored four straight goals and took a 6-4 advantage with 9:27 showing on the clock. Katherine Finkelston had two goals and an assist for UConn during that stretch.
• The Tigers pulled to within one with three and a half minutes to go in the first half. On a UConn clear, Gillingham forced the turnover, picked up the ground ball and found Montalbano with a pass in front of the net. The sophomore buried the shot in the back of the net, which made it a 6-5 game.
• Neither team was able to dent the scoreboard in the final three minutes and the visitors took a one-goal lead at the break.
• The Tigers and Huskies traded goals to start the second half and UConn had a 7-6 edge with 24:49 to play in the game.
• Towson used a 3-0 run to take a 9-7 lead with 17:17 to go in the game. Freshman midfielder Natalie Sulmonte completed her hat trick during that run while sophomore attacker Jenna Kerr scored back-to-back goals.
• That 3-0 run was part of a stretch that saw the Tigers score five of six goals and turn a two-goal deficit into a two-goal advantage.
• UConn snapped a nearly 10 minute scoring drought with a goal from Kelsey Catalano at 15:51, which made it a 9-8 game in favor of the home team.
• Towson scored four straight goals and took a 13-8 lead with 4:42 to play. Montalbano scored a pair of goals while redshirt junior attacker Alyssa Ferro and Gillingham each struck for their second tally of the day.
• UConn scored twice in the final two minutes of the game which made the final score on the day, 13-10.

QUOTABLE

• "I think the second half was more indicative of Tiger lacrosse," said Towson head coach Sonia LaMonica. "We refocused at halftime, we wanted it so bad, we were forcing things in the first half. We put together a solid second half and played more disciplined. We played patient and got a nice win over a great team."

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Towson scored at least 10 goals for the seventh time this season. The Tigers are a perfect 7-0 when they score 10 or more goals in a game during the 2016 campaign.
• Freshman Angie Benson made four saves to earn her 12th win of the season. She gave way to senior Alyssa Saxon for the final 1:46 of the game. Shannon Nee made eight saves in the loss.
• Towson outshot the Huskies 26-16 in the game and held a 17-8 advantage in the draw control battle.
• Montalbano finished with four goals and one assist for five points. It was her sixth hat trick of the season and ninth of her career. She tied her career-high with six draw controls and added three ground balls.
• Sulmonte, the reigning Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Rookie of the Week, posted her third hat trick of the season and added an assist to match her career-high with four points.
• Gillingham contributed two goals and two assists for four points.
• The Tigers honored seniors Breanna Hamm, Saxon, Tayler Bowman, Taylor O'Connor and Emily Roth before the game.
• Hamm led the defensive efforts with three caused turnovers, five draw controls and two ground balls.
• The Tigers had a season-high 15 caused turnovers in the game. Nine Tigers recorded at least one caused turnover in the game.
• Finkelston and Catalano each had three goals to lead UConn.

Towson will be back in action on Friday, May 6 when the CAA Tournament begins at Drexel. The No. 2 Tigers will face No. 3 Elon at 3:30 p.m.