The Lake Forest College women's lacrosse team had its first season as a varsity sport come to an end on Saturday with a 13-12 overtime loss to visiting Hamline University in the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference Tournament final.
Forester freshman Jenna Doctor scored first less than three minutes into a game that included eight ties and six lead changes. Hamline, however, netted a pair of goals in the final two minutes of the first period and led 2-1 when it ended.
The margin grew to three after two more scores from the the visitors early in the second. Lake Forest responded with four unanswered goals — two each from Doctor and fellow freshman Abby Meyer — to put the home team on top 5-4. Doctor's hat trick was her seventh of the season and raised her team-high goal total to 36. The Pipers struck with just 14 seconds remaining in the quarter and the score was tied 5-5 at halftime.
Hamline started the third quarter scoring but Forester freshman Savannah Frauhiger's 22nd of the year tied the game again. With the home team down a player in the middle of the period due to an unreleasable penalty, the Pipers scored a pair of goal but surrendered one to Meyer, who also tied the game at eight with 21 seconds on the clock.
The first two goals of the fourth went to the visitors but the next two were converted free position opportunities by sophomore Ryleigh Nelson and freshman Krissy Kuwahara. Nelson, who also had three assists in the contest, had 20 goals and 20 assists this season while Kuwahara's score was her 29th.
Hamline pulled ahead again with 4:53 to play but Lake Forest sophomore Ali Graham ran nearly the length of the field before tying the game again just 40 seconds later on her 25th of the year.
Meyer's fifth goal of the day an 12th this season gave the Foresters the lead with 3:15 remaining but they were unable to hold on. The Pipers tied the score with 1:22 left and then won the game with 36 seconds to play in the three-minute overtime period.
Sophomore Caitlyn Dahut led Lake Forest with four ground balls, Meyer with five draw controls, and Graham with four caused turnovers. Freshman goalie Calliope finished with five saves on the day.
Lake Forest had a 33-20 edge in shots and committed just 15 turnovers to Hamline's 24. The Pipers had a 16-12 edge in draw controls.
The Foresters, who had defeated Hamline last Friday to claim the MWLC regular season title, finished the program's inaugural season 11-4. The Pipers will advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament with a record of 7-7.
