Gambier, Ohio – The Oberlin College women's lacrosse team earned its first berth into the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament since the year 2000 as they came from behind to defeat the Kenyon College Ladies, 13-11, on Saturday afternoon in what was essentially a play-in game for the fourth spot in the tournament.
 
The Yeowomen will enter as the fourth seed with a record of 4-4 in conference play with three of their four losses being just one-goal decisions.
 
Oberlin scored five of the game's final six goals to secure the win in grand fashion. The Yeowomen trailed 10-8 with just 10:04 left in the game, but just over two minutes later Grace Barlow and Hannah Heinke-Green tied the game with back-to-back Oberlin goals.
 
With a player advantage thanks to a Kenyon yellow card, the Yeowomen would snatch an 11-10 lead on Sara Phister's 39th goal of the season. Oberlin continued to put the pressure on the Ladies as Suzanna Doak won the ensuing draw control and with the ball ultimately ending up in the stick of Barlow she would cash in what proved to be the game-winning goal with 5:48 left on the clock.
 
Kenyon would cut the lead back down to one, 12-11, on Caroline Shipman's 62^nd score of the year with 3:43 left to be played.  
 
Clinging to a one-goal lead, Oberlin keeper Alexa L'Insalata made a key save, and following a quick clearance by the Yeowomen Barlow earned a free-position shot. The junior from Elm Grove, Wisconsin, would bang in her season-high seventh goal of the game and 47^th of the year to give Oberlin a two-goal lead with 2:12 left to play.
 
In the final minutes the Yeowomen caught a break as Jane Symmes' shot hit off the post and then L'Insalata denied her rebound-attempt with 94 seconds to play. From there the Yeowomen would control the ball the rest of the way before letting on the on-field celebration begin.
 
L'Insalata finished with 12 saves, while Maggie Mullard matched Phister with two goals – both of which came right out of the gate as the Yeowomen opened up a 3-0 lead early on.  However, the Ladies ultimately took a 6-5 cushion into the intermission.
 
Both teams finished with 23 shots on goal and 32 overall shots. Oberlin ended with a slight 23-20 edge in ground balls while holding a commanding 17-9 margin in draw controls.
 
The Yeowomen will take on top-seeded Wittenberg on Wednesday at 5 p.m. In their previous meeting, the Tigers nipped the Yeowomen 17-16 in overtime on April 7.