There’s a new No. 1 team in the Pac-12.

Following USC’s blowout 20-9 loss to Arizona State on Friday, Stanford entered Saturday needing a win to take over the top spot in the conference. Trailing by three goals against Colorado, the Cardinal buckled down late and sent the game to overtime on Jacie Lemos’ tally with 22 seconds left in regulation.

Then program standout Mikaela Watson displayed her clutch gene, scoring the game-winning goal as Stanford improved to 3-0 (2-0 Pac-12) after the 10-9 win. Stanford defeated Arizona State 15-9 on March 12, meaning the Cardinal are likely to break into the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20 on Monday.

Mikaela Watson has the clutch gene

She scores the winner in OT for @StanfordWLax, which overcame a 9-6 deficit and forced the extra period with 22 seconds left in regulation.pic.twitter.com/ag5CW9xTZU

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) March 20, 2021

Stanford trailed 4-3 at halftime and then 5-3 after Ashley Stokes opened the scoring in the second half for Colorado (2-3). The Buffs would lead 7-4 on Devon Bayer’s player-up goal with 20:33 to play, then the sides traded goals until Stanford trailed 9-6.

Galen Lew then fed Katherine Gjertsen with 13:48 to play, the first goal of the comeback. Watson scored on her own just about five minutes later, and then Daniella McMahon fed Lemos for the tying strike just before the final horn.

22 seconds left? Down by one goal?

Just call Jacie Lemos

Stanford and Colorado are headed to OT
pic.twitter.com/anhnQGmeQ4

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) March 20, 2021

Watson then finished it in OT.

ELMS SCORES OT WINNER FOR JACKSONVILLE

Watson wasn’t the only overtime hero Saturday afternoon.

Sarah Elms lined up at the top of the eight-meter arc just seconds after a Virginia Tech turnover that ultimately proved fatal. Elms went high on the free position, sending Jacksonville to a 10-9 overtime win — its second straight victory over a ranked team, proving its legitimacy after an upset of Florida.

Game. Over.

Sarah Elms wins it in OT for @JAX_WLAX, which seems to be getting used to taking down ranked teams.pic.twitter.com/haFh9LFEhE

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) March 20, 2021

No. 13 Jacksonville (4-0) trailed 6-3 at halftime, but Jenny Kinsey scored the first two goals of the second half to cut the deficit to one goal. The sides would trade goals with Paige Petty ultimately giving Virginia Tech (2-5) an 8-6 lead with 15:31 to play.

Kinsey scored 55 seconds later, then Elms scored two minutes later, tying the score at 8. Megan Prescott then dished to Elms, who buried her fourth goal of the year to give the Dolphins a 9-8 lead with 9:41 remaining.

No. 18 Virginia Tech showed life at the final horn of regulation. Jacelyn Lazore buried a player-up goal as the horn sounded, sending the game to overtime.

After a lengthy Jacksonville possession that yielded a shot wide that gave Virginia Tech possession, the Dolphins defense pressured the Hokies, who immediately turned it over to set up Elms’ winner.

NOTABLE

• The first of Livy Rosenzweig’s seven assists in a 21-3 Loyola win over Bucknell set the all-time program record. She now has 155 for her career. She was held without a goal, but she also tied a career-high 10 draw controls.

• Charlotte North had six goals and one assist and Cara Urbank had two goals and five assists as No. 6 Boston College thumped Hofstra 19-7.

• Elon improved to 5-0 with a 13-9 win over Furman at Rudd Field. Mae McGlynn led the charge with four goals and one assist as Elon outshot Furman 32-22 and won 15 of 23 draws — led by Quinn Daly’s six.

• Records were dropping like flies at DeGol Field. Saint Francis scored the first 14 goals in a 17-6 win over Central Connecticut, the fewest goals Saint Francis has allowed in an NEC contest in program history. Emileigh Scott secured the 300th draw control of her career, becoming the first player in program history to reach the milestone. Junior Autumn McHenry tied the program’s single-game assists record with six in an eight-point performance.

Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20

No. 5 Stony Brook 18, Albany 11
No. 6 Boston College 19, Hofstra 7
No. 9 Maryland 11, Ohio State 5
No. 12 Loyola 21, Bucknell 3
No. 13 Jacksonville 10, No. 18 Virginia Tech 9
No. 19 Drexel 17, La Salle 9
No. 20 Towson 14, Saint Joseph’s 12

No. 16 Navy at American, PPD

OTHER SCORES

Elon 13, Furman 9
George Washington 17, George Mason 10
Lehigh 14, Army 7
Mount St. Mary’s 18, Sacred Heart 7
New Hampshire 14, UMBC 13
Oregon 14, Cal 9
Saint Bonaventure 13, Akron 12
Saint Francis 17, Central Connecticut 6
Stanford 10, Colorado 9 (OT)
UMass Lowell 19, Hartford 12
VCU 18, Gardner-Webb 6
Vermont 17, Binghamton 10
Wagner 22, Merrimack 11
William and Mary 16, Campbell 12

Long Island U. at Bryant, PPD
Marist at Canisius, PPD
Robert Morris at Detroit Mercy, PPD