ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst Women's Lacrosse team scraped past the visiting Lock Haven Bald Eagles in overtime on Saturday afternoon by a 9-8 score. Meghan Nasman scored the overtime sudden death goal to give the Lakers their seventh conference win of the season.

The Bald Eagles jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the first quarter. Lock Haven scored the contest's first two goals before Mercyhurst's Kiera Boettcher struck for the Lakers. The Bald Eagles then capped off the opening quarter with two more tallies to take a three goal advantage into the second quarter.

Lock Haven added the only score of the second period to take a 5-1 lead with them into the halftime break. The Lakers came out of the halftime break hungry for goals as they went on the score three in the first five minutes of the second half to cut down on the Lock Haven lead. Maggie Newton found the back of the net for the first time in the game just a minute into the quarter before Sarah Kaska and Victoria Gottorff scored goals of their own.

Lock Haven did manage to score once in the quarter to take back a two goal lead, however Gottorff cut the lead back down to one when she was awarded a free position shot with eight tenths of a second remaining in the third quarter, and fired a quick shot past the keeper just as time expired. 

Lock Haven scored just 30 seconds into the final quarter of regulation to increase their lead to two, but the Lakers did not back down as goals from Marissa Comerate and Rachel Hirst tied the game for the first time since the opening draw. After multiple long possessions from both teams with no scoring, the Bald Eagles capitalized with a goal at the 3:48 mark, putting them up 8-7.

Mercyhurst won the ensuing draw and Comerate was awarded a free position shot which she buried to tie the game back at eight goals a piece. The Lakers would cause a turnover after losing the following draw to ensure a sudden death overtime would be played.
 

In that overtime period, Newton won the opening draw control and the Lakers worked their offense for a minute and 32 seconds before Comerate found a slashing Nasman for the game-winning goal. The Lakers have now clinched a PSAC postseason berth after their win today. They will have the opportunity to move up in seeding with wins against IUP and Gannon in their final two regular season games.

The Lakers will return to action next Wednesday, April 27th on the road at IUP.