Northwestern
Ohio
Women's Lacrosse Knocks Off Ohio University, 9-8
4/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
April 12, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Less than a week after giving away a five-goal lead in a loss at New Hampshire, the Northwestern women's lacrosse team was the one showing poise down the stretch . As a result, the Wildcats defeated Ohio University, 9-8, for its first ever win in the American Lacrosse Conference.
Northwestern (3-7, 1-2 ALC) is making its first appearance as a varsity program since 1991 this season and is a charter member of the newly formed conference.
In a game that was tight throughout, Northwestern got off to the early start by scoring the game's first three goals before 14 minutes had passed. Courtney Koester (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) got the run started with a goal 3:42 into the contest, then Angela McMahon (Weston, Mass./Weston) scored and Kaitie Lenahan (Needham, Mass./Needham) converted a free-position opportunity.
Ohio got all three back before the break, however, as Lindsey Hart sandwiched a pair of goals around a Kristen Gombeski tally. The teams went to halftime deadlocked at 3-3.
Northwestern got started just 40 seconds into the second stanza, however, when Courtney Flynn (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) converted a feed from Donna McCann (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington). Nearly seven minutes passed before Sarah Albrecht (Braintree, Mass./Thayer Academy) scored off a pass from Erin Flynn (Concord, Mass./Concord-Carlisle) to put the Wildcats up 5-3.
Ohio's Hart -- who had five goals on the day -- cut the deficit in half with 20:43 to play, but NU got it back two minutes later when McMahon used a nice move to score from in front. However, Melissa Menna scored two quick goals for the Bobcats to tie the game, then Hart scored her fourth of the day to give OU a 7-6 lead with 11:30 left.
NU responded. Just 1:16 later, Jenna Gantner (Long Valley, N.J./Chester) hit a free-position shot to tie the game, then Koester and Albrecht scored goals 1:28 apart to give NU a 9-7 lead.
Northwestern attempted to put the game away by using a stall tactic, but the Bobcats got the ball back with just less than a minute to play and put the 'Cats fans on edge when Hart scored with 41 seconds left to make the score 9-8. However, Koester-who had five draw controls on the day-came up big one final time, and NU ran out the clock.
Ashley Gersuk (Loudonville, N.Y./Albany Academy) came up big throughout the day and had 11 saves, including six in the second half.
The Wildcats women's lacrosse team is back in action at Lakeside Field Sunday morning, hosting Duquesne University of the Atlantic 10 at 10 a.m.
Score by Half
Ohio University 3 5 - 8
Northwestern 3 6 - 9
Goals
Northwestern: Albrecht 2, C. Koester 2, McMahon 2, Lenahan, C. Flynn, Gantner.
Ohio: Hart 5, Menna 2, Gombeski.
Assists
Northwestern: Albrecht, McCann, E. Flynn.
Ohio: Oxman 2, Gombeski.
Goalie Saves
Northwestern: Gersuk 11.
Ohio: Cassidy 9.
Shots on Goal: Ohio 20, NU 17
Free Position: NU 2/5, Ohio 0/4
Ground Balls: Ohio 23, NU 20
Draw Controls: NU 13, Ohio 6
Turnovers: Ohio 19, NU 15
Fouls: Ohio 25, NU 23
