Recap: Sydni Black's Overtime Winner Gives Team Kennedy 10-9 Win Over Team Apuzzo

Ryan Legarsky

Aug 05, 2024

SPARKS, Md. — A late two-point goal by attacker Sam Apuzzo sent the game to overtime, but Team Kennedy prevailed, 10-9, against Team Apuzzo after a game-winner from rookie attacker Sydni Black to wrap up Week Three of the 2024 Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse season at USA Lacrosse Headquarters on Sunday morning.

Team Kennedy gets its first win and ends Week Three at 1-2, while Team Apuzzo drops to 1-2, as well.

Apuzzo finished with two goals, including the two-point tally, and an assist to go with two draw controls, a ground ball, and a caused turnover to garner MVP honors and 116 leaderboard points.

Black registered a pair of tallies and an assist, including the game-winning goal just over one minute into the three-minute overtime period. She earned MVP 2 accolades and a game-high 163 points toward the leaderboard.

In addition, midfielder Ally Mastroianni received MVP 3 laurels with a pair of goals and a draw control for Team Kennedy to gain 134 points toward the standings.

Rookie midfielder Cassidy Spilis and attackers Andie Aldave and Kailyn Hart each pitched in a goal to help lift Team Kennedy to victory.

Defensively, goalkeeper Britt Read made seven saves and defender Meg Douty came up with a game-high four ground balls to lead Team Kennedy.

For Team Apuzzo, rookie attacker Madison Ahern scored a pair of markers to join Apuzzo atop the scoring list. In total, six players scored for the Gold squad in the defeat.

Goalkeeper Kady Glynn pushed aside nine shots in the loss.

KEY MOMENT

With just 12 seconds remaining in regulation, Team Apuzzo caused a turnover and went the other way before Apuzzo launched a two-point strike to tie the game at 9-9. In overtime, Mastroianni grabbed the opening draw control to give Team Kennedy possession before a shot by Kennedy was saved. The possession continued before Black found the back of the cage with 1:55 left in the sudden-victory period to lift Team Kennedy to the victory.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

The top four spots for Week Four are set as Apuzzo regains the top spot on the leaderboard with 1,312 points, while attacker Charlotte North ranks second with 1,259 points. Goalkeeper Taylor Moreno and Kennedy round out the top four with 1,170 points and 1,156 points, respectively.

GAME NOTES

Kennedy recorded the sixth hat trick of her career after netting her third marker of the game with 4:26 left in the third quarter.
Black registered her fourth multi-goal game of her career … She has scored at least twice in four of her nine career AU Pro Lacrosse contests.
Apuzzo notched the ninth two-point goal of her career with just 12 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force overtime … She has the fifth-most two-point markers on the AU Pro Lacrosse ledger.
This was the seventh time an Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse contest required overtime … It is the first overtime game in the 2024 season and the first one since Team Apuzzo and Team Bosco went to a shootout on August 5, 2023.
Apuzzo garnered MVP 1 accolades for the 17th time in her four-year career, which increases her lead at the top of the chart … In total, Apuzzo has earned 29 Game MVP honors, which is 12 more than goalkeeper Caylee Waters who is second on the AU Pro Lacrosse listing.
This is Kennedy’s first win as a team captain … Kennedy entered the contest at 0-2 as a team leader in the midst of her first week in the captain’s chair.
With MVP 2 distinction, Black claimed her second Game MVP honor in her short career … The rookie previously earned MVP 1 acclaim on July 28.