WISE - - Visiting Lincoln Memorial overcame a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to claim a 14-13 double-overtime women's lacrosse win over host UVA Wise in the South Atlantic Conference opener for both programs.
'SPLITTERS START STRONG
Behind sisters Avery and Ali Van Der Ziel LMU (5-1, 1-0 SAC) got off to a good start on the road. The pair combined for three of the game's first four goals to take an early 3-1 lead.
CAVS OFFENSE GETS GOING
UVA Wise (3-2, 0-1 SAC) would score five of the next six goals to close the first quarter with a 6-4 advantage. During the stretch, Katie Allen, Sydney Trask, Caroline Earnshaw, Grace Golatt and Anna Claire Watt all scored to give Meghan Dennehy's squad the lead.
DEFENSIVE SECOND QUARTER
Neither school would get much going offensively in the second quarter. The Railsplitters received a woman-up goal from Avery Van Der Ziel and a Sydnee Saska goal while the Cavaliers' Mallory Trimble scored to send the hosts to intermission leading 7-6.
THE THIRD QUARTER
UVA Wise led by as many as three goals on two occasions. The first came with 12:35 to play in the period when Trask capped a 3-to-0 scoring spurt by the Cavs with an unassisted goal. Caroline Earnshaw's woman-up goal in the final seconds of the quarter would again make it a three-goal contest as her club took an 11-8 lead to the final stanza.
FORCING OT
After each side swapped goals to start the fourth quarter, LMU scored four straight goals to take its first lead since the first quarter. Ali Van Der Ziel capped the spurt with an unassisted goal at the 3:17 mark to give her team a 13-12 lead. Just 36 seconds later, UVA Wise tied the game when Trask matched Van Der Ziel's goal with an unassisted goal of her own.
OT1
UVA Wise won the opening draw but turned it over moments later. LMU would get three shots in the first extra stanza but would be unable to crack UVA Wise goalie Jordan Edwards. The Cavs would be unable to get a shot off during the first overtime as the squad committed a trio of turnovers.
OT2
Again UVA Wise would win the opening draw and this time would get a shot on goal when Trimble was awarded a free position shot. Trimble's shot would be saved by Keegan Gilman but Trimble would recover the groundball. It would be the final opportunity for the Cavs who turned the ball over and the 'Splitters would find the back of the net for the game-winning goal when Avery Van Der Ziel scored with 1:13 to play in the second extra session.
BOX SCORE NUGGETS
The win was the first ever for LMU over UVA Wise in women's lacrosse. The Cavs had won each of the first six meetings, including four by running clock.
Avery Van Der Ziel scored five times while Ali Van Der Ziel dished out five assists as part of a nine-point day.
Trask and Allen led the UVA Wise offense with three goals each.
UP NEXT
UVA Wise visits Mars Hill next Saturday. First draw is scheduled for 11 a.m.
