Women’s lacrosse rallies to beat Davenport, 13-12, for first home win

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's lacrosse team celebrated the first home win in school history with a 13-12 come-from-behind victory over Davenport University tonight under the lights at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

The Panthers scored the first four goals of the game. The Comets cut their deficit in half on two free-position goals by junior Cortney Wernette (Remus/Chippewa Hills) in a span of 47 seconds. Davenport and Olivet traded goals before the Panthers scored twice to go back up by four, 7-3.

The Comets scored four consecutive goals – two by senior Veronica Maidens (Arcadia/Onekama) and one each by freshman Alyssa Meny (Marshall) and junior Cara VanDam (Grand Rapids/City) – to knot the score at 7-7. Davenport grabbed the lead back before Meny tied the game at 8-8 on a free-position goal with 52 seconds left in the first half.

Sophomore Ellen Malin (Burton/Bendle) put Olivet ahead for the first time with two goals in the first four minutes, 52 seconds of the second half. After the Comets took an 11-9 lead, the Panthers answered with a pair of goals to knot the score, 11-11, at the 16:28 mark.

Maidens won the draw, raced down the middle of the field and buried a shot into the goal just 12 seconds later. Olivet did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game, as Maidens added what proved to be the game-winning goal with 7:55 left. Davenport scored at the 7:00 mark to make the score 13-12. The Panthers had chances to score the tying goal late in the game, but the Comet defense stopped them.

For the game, Olivet had 26 shots with half finding the back of the goal. Maidens led the way with five goals on 11 shots. Malin was next with three goals, followed by Meny and Wernette with two goals apiece. In goal, freshman Sara Wegener (St. Johns) played the first half and made two saves. Sophomore Kate Cole (Union City) was the keeper in the second half and collected six saves.

Olivet will travel to play Robert Morris (Ill.) College Saturday evening at 5 p.m., and then make the 30-mile trip west to play North Central (Ill.) College Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.