Marquette Lets Villanova Slip Away

Nolan Rappis scored five times, but that wasn’t enough to keep Marquette in front. | Credit: Marquette University

Marquette went to overtime for the third time in Big East play this season in Saturday’s home finale against Villanova. For the first time in three tries this season, Marquette did not find a way to win.

In fact, it’s worse than that, because the Golden Eagles had more than their fair share of opportunities to put the Wildcats in the ground before taking a 16-15 loss at Valley Fields. Villanova was up 4-2 at the end of the first quarter, but Marquette put up seven goals in the second frame, including three of Nolan Rappis’ five strikes on the day, and so they were up 9-7 on Nova at halftime.

Ethan Salvia broke the ice on the second half with a goal just 54 seconds in, and that had Marquette up three for the second time in the contest. The first was at 9-6 late in the first half, this one was 10-7. Two Villanova goals about 45 seconds apart dashed that lead apart, and then two more about 30 seconds apart pushed the visitors out in front, 11-10, with 3:15 to play in the third.

That felt like a bad time for Marquette, and for good reason. However, MU went into the fourth quarter up 12-10 because Rappis and Beau Westphal found the net, including Rappis scoring to tie the game just 14 seconds after Villanova took the lead.

Jake Bair made it 13-11, and midway through the fourth quarter, Brady Nicholas did this to put Marquette up 15-12, their third three goal lead of the game:

That felt very back-breaker-y, as Nova had gone to the ride to force a turnover and make life hard for Marquette. Nicholas said “nah,” and now the clock was very much on Marquette’s side.

8 to play, 7, 6, 5…. Nova gets a goal from Ryan Martin. 4…. Colin Michener scores his seventh goal of the day. 3, 2….. and with 74 seconds left in regulation, Villanova gets a goal from Kessy Cox to tie it at 15.

From the Nicholas goal onwards to the end of the fourth quarter, Marquette committed four turnovers. Two of them came essentially immediately after winning faceoffs that could have gone a long way towards MU burning the clock off. Instead, VU got possession and a glimmer of hope.

There’s not much to say about how overtime went, other than Marquette was clearly on the ropes and the last thing they needed was to end up letting Villanova have the ball first. That’s what happened, and Nick Lucchesi ended the thing 1:16 into the extra session.