THE BASICS:

RESULT: Quinnipiac 11, Hartford 10 (ot)
RECORDS: Hartford (2-3); Quinnipiac (3-1)
LOCATION: Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium (West Hartford, Conn.)
ATTENDANCE: 327

THE LEAD:

Connor Meth netted the game-winning tally with 2:23 remaining in overtime to lift the visiting Quinnipiac Bobcats past the University of Hartford men's lacrosse team, 11-10, on Saturday afternoon. Freshman attackman Dylan Jinks led the Hawks with five points, scoring each of his game-high four goals in the first half.

Jinks' barrage of first-half goals helped Hartford build a 7-3 cushion at the break. The Bobcats clawed their way back into the game using a plethora of goals in the second half, and took their first lead of the game with 2:47 remaining in regulation. That Quinnipiac edge was short-lived, though, as sophomore Dylan Protesto rifled in the game-tying tally seven seconds later out of the ensuing faceoff to eventually force overtime, where Meth came through and bounced in the game-winning shot 97 seconds in.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Saturday's game began as a defensive battle, with Hawks' goalie sophomore Ryan Vanderford and his counterpart, Jack Brust, coming up with saves on both sides to keep the game scoreless through the first five minutes. The scoring picked up in the final 10 minutes of the stanza, as Hartford had a pair of one-goal leads behind goals from junior Doug Biondi and Jinks. But Quinnipiac answered each time, first tying up the game at 1-1 with a Ryan Keenan score before forcing a 2-2 draw at the end of the period behind the strength of Meth's first tally of the game.
• A dominant second quarter by the home team allowed the Hawks to build a four-goal cushion by the end of the opening half. During that 15 minute stretch, Hartford held Quinnipiac to just one score – a Brian Feldman marker at the 11:51 mark. The Hawks manufactured five goals of their own, with Jinks contributing three of those tallies. His final marker with 25 seconds remaining sent his team into the intermission with a 7-3 advantage.
• The roles were reversed in the third quarter, though, and it was the Bobcats who benefited from a solid defensive effort. Meth ended Quinnipiac's 13-plus minute scoring drought with his second goal of the contest with 13:09 remaining on the clock. That marker sparked a 3-0 spurt that pulled the Bobcats within one goal at 7-6 at the 7:52 mark of the third.
• Just over a minute later, Feiner ended the Bobcats' rally and put Hartford back ahead, 8-6, after hitting the upper right on a feed from junior Jaedon Henderson. But Quinnipiac got within one tally again at 8-7 with 2:15 left in the third before Feldman knotted up the score for the first time since a 2-2 draw late in the opening quarter with a man-up goal with 6:33 remaining in regulation.
• Hartford refused to surrender its lead, though, as Feiner put the Hawks back in front at the 5:09 mark with his third score of the game. In the final minutes of regulation, the Bobcats had answers, as they rallied for two unanswered scores to take their first lead of the afternoon. Ryan Lawson tied up the game with 4:24 left before Foster Cuomo put Quinnipiac in front at 10-9 with 2:47 left. Seven seconds later, though, Protesto tied up the game out of the ensuing faceoff with his second goal of the year, and with 30 seconds remaining, Hartford had a chance to win the game. Forcing a Quinnipiac turnover, senior Jake Vogl missed wide in transition to send the game into overtime.
• In the extra session, Quinnipiac won the opening faceoff and called timeout. The Hawks blocked the Bobcats' first attempt, but Meth bounced a shot in over the shoulder of Vanderford to seal the win for the visiting squad.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Jinks and Feiner each netted hat tricks for the second-straight game with four and three goals, respectively. They improved their team-best hat trick totals to three apiece.
• Adding an assist for a game-best five points, Jinks finished as the Hawks' scoring leader for the second-consecutive outing.
• For the fifth time in as many games, Protesto won more than 60-percent of his duels, turning in a 15-for-24 effort at the X.
• Jinks collected eight ground balls as Hartford held a 39-35 advantage in the category.
• The Hawks also held advantages in shots (42-40) and faceoffs (16-9).
• Both goalies had solid outings, as Brust had a game-best 14 saves for Quinnipiac while Vanderford tied a season high with 12 stops.
• Quinnipiac outscored Hartford, 7-3, in the second half behind two goals from Feldman and a pair from Cuomo.

 
NEWS & NOTES:

• Quinnipiac spoiled Hartford's six-game win streak in the series with Saturday's win.
• Despite the setback, the Hawks hold the advantage in the all-time series at 10-6.
• Saturday's game marks the second-straight year that the Hawks and Bobcats went into overtime. Five of the last seven contests between the two squads have been single-goal decisions.

UP NEXT:                                                                     
Hartford returns to the road for its next two contests, with the first stop landing the Hawks at reigning MAAC champion Marist on Tuesday, March 15. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Tenney Stadium