Old Dominion and Cincinnati both enjoyed one-goal victories Friday as the Monarchs edged Niagara in double overtime, while the Bearcats held off Central Michigan.
FRIDAY, MARCH 18
Old Dominion 18, Niagara 17 (2ot)
Cincinnati 12, Central Michigan 11
OLD DOMINION 18, NIAGARA 17 (2OT)
NORFOLK, Va. – Corrinne Stratton scored a goal with just under two minutes left in overtime to lift Old Dominion University lacrosse over Niagara 18-17 Friday afternoon at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex.
With the score tied at 17 in overtime, Stratton was fouled in the 8-meter area and awarded a free position. Stratton rifled a shot over Niagara goalie Michelle Messenger's right shoulder for the game-winner.
"I am proud of our team being gritty and finishing the game," ODU head coach Heather Holt said. "We learned a lot and our team really stayed focused under a lot of pressure. It was a great win for our program today!"
Old Dominion (4-6) scored the first two goals of the game from Lilly Siskind and Maddie Mullenbach before Niagara (4-3) got on the board with a Lois Garlow tally. Stratton and Haley O'Connor scored consecutive goals to put ODU on top 4-1. Garlow added her second of the day for the Purple Eagles to make it 4-2.
Siskind added her second of the day to make it 6-2 but back-to-back goals from Lexi Braniecki cut the lead to 6-4. ODU followed with five-straight goals to push its lead to 11-4. Siskind bookended the run with a pair of goals, while Mullenbach, Claire Porter and Caroline Shaefer each had one.
Andra Savage notched her first goal of the game for NU to cut the ODU lead to 11-5 early in the third quarter but Siskind and Mullenbach came back with goals to put the Monarchs on top 13-5.
ODU didn't score the rest of the third quarter as Niagara went on a 8-0 to tie the score with 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter on a goal from Braniecki.
The Monarchs fired right back with consecutive goals from Haley O'Connor and Mullenbach to make the score 15-13.
Braniecki scored again to cut the lead to 15-14 but Siskind scored to put ODU on top 16-14. Rachel Crane cut the lead again to one but Siskind notched her career-high seventh goal of the game to put ODU on top 17-15.
Niagara scored twice in the final 3:36 of regulation to tie the score at 17 and send the game to overtime.
ODU goalie Jenna Peccia made a pair of big saves in overtime, stopping point blank shots by Braniecki and Lucy Rugebar to keep the score deadlocked at 17.
Siskind led ODU with her career-high seven goals and added three assists, while Mullenbach scored four goals. Porter scored a goal and assisted on three others. O'Connor registered two goals and two assists and Stratton recorded two goals, including the game-winner.
Peccia made 17 saves to earn the win in goal.
Garlow and Braniecki had four goals apiece for Niagara.
CINCINNATI 12, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 11
CINCINNATI -- Kylie Nause scored a career-high six goals to continue her red-hot start, and Cincinnati held on for a 12-11 win over Central Michigan on Friday in Nippert Stadium.
It was the team's first home victory this season amidst a challenging early-season slate, and UC never trailed as well. The Bearcats opened fire early with a 3-0 lead at 7:34 in the first quarter, courtesy of goals by Nause, Ava Goeller and Alyssa Adams. UC led 5-2 before the Chippewas scored twice in the final minutes of the half to trail 5-4 at the break.
UC again found itself up 8-7 midway through the third, but Goeller (1:40) and Nause (0:20) had unassisted tallies to stretch it to 10-7. Nause's sixth of the day came at 5:34 in the final period to give the Bearcats enough insurance.
"I told our defense we couldn't just settle with this team and needed to cause turnovers and get ground balls," head coach Gina Thomas said. "I was not necessarily happy with some of the fastbreak goals on us because we had stressed that all week, but our defense played tough and allowed only four goals in the first half. Central Michigan is tough and gritty, and we knew it would be a battle."
Goeller's sixth hat trick also paid dividends in the scoring column, while Adams scored twice and Anna Platou collected her second goal.
The Bearcats (4-5) host Liberty on Sunday at noon to close the homestand.
"Liberty beat up on us a bit last year, and we can't have too many turnovers," Thomas said. "Liberty is a bit more aggressive all over the field, so we'll need to tighten up and get a few more balls in the back of the net. They're a tough team offensively too."