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The University of Olivet

Women’s lacrosse team rallies but fall short to Alma, 16-14, in overtime

The Olivet College women’s lacrosse team rallied from two different deficits to force overtime, but eventually fell to Alma College, 16-14, tonight in its home-opener at the Cutler Athletic Complex. In addition, freshman Geri Merrell (Battle Creek/Lakeview) tied Olivet’s single-game record with six goals.

Box Score
Women’s lacrosse team rallies but fall short to Alma, 16-14, in overtime
March 7, 2012

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's lacrosse team rallied from two different deficits to force overtime, but eventually fell to Alma College, 16-14, tonight in its home-opener at the Cutler Athletic Complex. In addition, freshman Geri Merrell (Battle Creek/Lakeview) tied Olivet's single-game record with six goals.

The Scots jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Olivet scored back-to-back goals – one by freshman Mackenzie Inman (Union City) and another by Merrell – to make the score 6-2. Alma answered with two goals to go back up by six, 8-2. Inman and Merrell each came back with goals to cut the Comet deficit to four, 8-4.

The teams traded goals to end the half, with freshman Taylor Guarnaccia (East Lansing/Haslett) scoring Olivet's goal, and Alma led 9-5 at the break. Alma book-ended two goals around a Merrell goal to start the half and take an 11-6 lead.

The Comets responded with six goals – one each by Guarnaccia, Inman and freshman Mimi Garza (Battle Creek/Pennfield) and three by Merrell – to take their first lead of the game. Alma came back with three straight goals to regain a 14-12 lead with 7:19 left in the game.

Olivet forced overtime when senior Cortney Wernette (Remus/Chippewa Hills) scored her first two goals of the season. The first was an unassisted tally only 30 seconds after Alma scored and the second on a free-position shot with 3:43 left in the game. The Comets had a chance to score the winning goal in the final seconds of regulation but a shot clanged off the post.

In overtime, the Scots scored their first goal with just under a minute left in the first three-minute period. They stretched their lead to 16-14 with goal as the extra period ended.

For the game, Olivet took 33 shots, including a single-game school record 12 for Merrell. Guarnaccia finished with five, followed by Wernette with four and Inman with three. Between the pipes, freshman Sarah Shaw (Grand Haven) faced 43 shots and collected 12 saves.

The Comets are now off until Tuesday, March 20, when they host University of Michigan's club team. Game time is 6 p.m.