Springfield, Ohio – The Oberlin College women's lacrosse team is heading to its first North Coast Athletic Conference Championship game in 15 years as the Yeowomen used a big second half to defeat top-seeded Wittenberg, 13-9, on Wednesday afternoon at C. Davidson Stadium.
 
The Yeowomen took a 7-6 lead into the intermission, but gained complete control of the game in the second half to secure the win. Oberlin limited the Tigers to just three goals over the final 30 minutes of play, outscoring them 6-3 in the period and winning eight of the 10 draws.
 
The victory avenges the Yeowomen's, 17-16, overtime loss to the Tigers on April 7.
 
Reining NCAC Player of the Week Grace Barlow led the way with four goals to go along with two assists, while classmate Suzanna Doak added a hat trick to accompany her pair of helpers.
 
The first half was nip-and-tuck throughout with the Tigers posting the game's first goal less than four minutes in. With the help of a feed from Doak, Maggie Mullard would get the Yeowomen right back to even with her 23^rd goal of the season.
 
On a goal from Morgan Daruwala and Barlow's second of the game, the Yeowomen would take a 4-2 lead with 16:43 left in the opening half. The Tigers would tie the game on Logan Warye's 65^th goal of the season and Becca Joseph's 57^th tally of the year.
 
The Yeowomen responded with three straight scores of their own as Sara Phister cashed in a free-position attempt before Doak deposited a pass from Barlow. Oberlin would then claim a 7-4 cushion as rookie Sydney Garvis set home her 19^th goal of the year on an 8-meter attempt.
 
The second half started with three consecutive Yeowomen goals with Doak kicking things off before Barlow followed with back-to-back deposits for her 50^th and 51^st scores of the season.
 
A free-position goal from Warye temporarily halted the spurt, but Oberlin answered right back with three more scores as Phister, Doak and Marissa Maxfield all found the back of the cage. Maxfield was credited with the assist on Doak's finish.
 
The Tigers tried to put forth one final charge, scoring two goals in a 30-second span to get within four with five minutes to go, but Oberlin gathered possession as first-year Natalie Rauchle scooped up the ensuing draw control to allow Oberlin to soak up the clock.
 
The Yeowomen finished with a 16-8 edge in draw controls with the entire team contributing to the cause. Phister and Daruwala checked in with four each, while Mullard and Maxfield finished with three apiece. Maxfield also added team-highs in ground balls (8) and caused turnovers (4).
 
The Yeowomen had a 27-20 edge in shots, including an 18-13 margin in shots on goal. OC also won the ground ball battle 35-23.
 
Alexa L'Insalata made four saves to run her season total to 132.
 
Oberlin will take on third-seeded Denison on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Granville to determine the NCAC Champion. The Big Red beat the Yeowomen 15-8 in Oberlin on April 18.