WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein University women’s lacrosse concluded its three-game spring break outing Wednesday afternoon, capping off the trip with a 15-7 come-from-behind victory at Concordia University (Wisc.).
Otterbein now sits at 1-3 this season, and returns home to host Ohio Wesleyan University next Wednesday, March 21 at 4:30 p.m.
Otterbein trailed 7-4 at halftime against Concordia (0-1), but exploded with 11 unanswered goals in the second half to earn the 15-7 victory.
Freshman Victoria Blatt tallied all five of her goals in the final 30 minutes as the Cardinals outshot the Falcons 18-8 in the second stanza. Blatt’s five goals marked a game-high, while Alyssa Johnson and Courtney Hilfinger each netted three scores of their own.
Freshman defender Samantha Colello also turned in a solid day, posting two goals and picking up a team-high four ground balls.
The Otterbein defense performed admirably in the second half, holding Concordia scoreless as goalie Brittany Johnson was forced to make only two saves in the time span. Otterbein was successful on all 12 of its clear attempts in the game.
“We are so happy to see our first win,” said head coach Stephani Schmidt. “It’s tough for a team to know how to turn the tables when you’ve lost a few, so I was pleased with how we responded when Concordia went into halftime with a lead."
"Our defense did a great job and Brittany was huge for us in the goal," Schmidt continued. "More important is that we were able to score while showing patience on offense. We had some great possessions and made the most of our offensive opportunities. The girls wanted it badly, and they worked hard to make it happen.”
The Cardinals opened the trip with a 19-4 loss at North Central College (Ill.) on Sunday. Blatt led Otterbein with two goals in the contest, with Alyssa Johnson and Megan Burless each chipping in one. Brittany Johnson posted nine saves in the cage, all coming in the opening half.
Otterbein suffered a 20-3 loss at Augustana College (Ill.) in the middle of their trip. Hilfinger registered all three Otterbein goals in the game, two of which came on free-position shots. Chelsea McKeehan picked up a team-best five ground balls.
Overall, Schmidt was excited at the progress of her team on the trip as the program continues to build a foundation.
“I was happy to see improvements in different areas of our games,” she explained. “We had several different players step up in scoring each game and the team was never willing to give up despite facing some tough opponents. We are starting to show an aggressive side as we become more confident in what we need to be doing on the field.”
