ADRIAN, Mich. — The Otterbein University women's lacrosse team held off a late Adrian rally and came through in overtime Saturday afternoon, edging the Bulldogs 14-13 at the Sweebe Family Athletic Center.
Otterbein improved to 5-2 overall after building a lead as large as 11-5 late in the third quarter before Adrian stormed back with a strong fourth period. The Bulldogs scored five goals in the final quarter, including the equalizer with just 50 seconds remaining in regulation, to force overtime.
The Cardinals regrouped in the extra session and needed just under two minutes to find the winner. At the 4:12 mark of overtime, freshman Leela Henry finished off a feed from senior Ava Robey for the game-winning goal, sealing the road victory.
Henry led the Otterbein attack with four goals and two assists, including the overtime winner. Robey also turned in a big performance with four goals and three assists, while freshman Dakota Klein added three goals and one assist. Freshman Madi McIntosh scored twice, and junior Alyssa Glenn chipped in one goal and two assists.
After a back-and-forth opening quarter ended in a 2-2 tie, the Cardinals took control in the second. Otterbein scored four times in the period and used a 4-0 stretch to build a 6-2 advantage before taking a 6-4 lead into halftime.
The Cardinals kept the pressure on in the third quarter, outscoring Adrian 5-4. Henry and Robey each scored twice in the frame, while Klein and McIntosh also found the cage as Otterbein carried an 11-8 lead into the fourth.
Adrian quickly made things interesting in the final quarter, scoring three straight to even the match at 11-11. Henry answered with a short-handed goal at the 6:39 mark, and Robey followed less than two minutes later to put Otterbein back in front, 13-12. But the Bulldogs had one more response, finding the back of the net with 50 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
Sophomore Alayna Bogner finished with 11 saves in goal for the Cardinals, helping Otterbein withstand Adrian's late push.
Otterbein will return to action on Wednesday, March 18, when the Cardinals travel to Oberlin.
