OBERLIN, Ohio - A three-goal lead at the halftime break would turn into a five-goal win as Oberlin College women's lacrosse moved past Allegheny College, 13-8, to advance to the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament final.

The victory on Wednesday night moves the Yeowomen into the NCAC Tournament Championship match, where they will play the #1 seed Denison University Big Red, who toppled the Wittenberg Tigers, 18-9, in the semifinal bout in Granville, Ohio.

Saturday's trip to the NCAC final marks the second in three years for the Yeowomen under the direction of fourth-year head coach Lynda McCandlish.

The Yeowomen faced a bit of adversity in the first half after trailing for the first time all year. The Yeowomen got on the board first with a score from first-year Eliza Amber, her 21st of the season.

Allegheny's Katie Weiss knotted the match, 1-1, with a free position goal, but the Yeowomen responded to recapture the lead at the 22:51 mark. Amber netted her second of the contest, but 15-seconds later the Gators struck back.

Tied at two-all, Allegheny's leading goal-getter Shelby Piper pushed the Gators in front, giving the Yeowomen their first first-half deficit of the campaign. They would trail for 8-minutes and 10-seconds.

The Crimson and Gold evened the match, 3-3, with Natalie Rauchle's 58th of the year on a free position opportunity. Sara Phister stole back the lead for Oberlin, but Allegheny's Lexi Einsig tied the match for the fourth time with 10:33 remaining in the opening half.

The Yeowomen closed the first period with three unanswered goals from three different Yeowomen. Jenna Butler struck first, followed by Amber completing her first half hat-trick.

As time expired, Maggie Mullard found space in front of the Gator goal and flung home the seventh Oberlin score of the half.

Leading 7-4 at the intermission, the Yeowomen turned up the offensive pressure in the second half and extended their lead.

Phister opened the second half with her second of the night, but the Gators' Piper and Maddie Olsen answered to draw the scoreline to 8-6. Rauchle stopped the potential Allegheny scoring run, but the Gators would not go quietly.

Offensively, the Yeowomen closed the night with a four goal-run that Mullard kicked off at the 14:33 mark. Amber followed with her game-high fourth score of the night, which led to Rauchle netting a hat-trick. Butler capped off the run, registering her eighth of the year.

Amber's four goals led the Oberlin effort, followed by Rauchle's three scores, which lifts her season total to 60.

Allegheny dominated the draw in the first half, winning 10 draw controls to the Yeowomen's one. The Crimson and Gold improved in the second 30-minute frame, but was still outdone by the visiting Gators, 15-7. Offensively, it was an even matchup with the Yeowomen winning the shot count, 29-26, but the Gators held the advantage on free position opportunities, 3-for-6 to Oberlin's 2-of-5. 

The Yeowomen won the turf war on Wednesday night hauling in 36 ground balls compared to Allegheny's 21. The Crimson and Gold were efficient in transition as well, converting 18-of-23 (78.2%) clears.

In net, senior goalie Alexa L'Insalata made 15 key stops against the Gators, elevating her season total to 97 as she holds a conference leading save percentage of .606.

The Yeowomen will seek redemption on Saturday as they travel down to Granville. In the regular season battle, the Big Red overthrew an early Oberlin lead to take the bout 15-12, marking the only Oberlin loss of the year.

The opening draw in the championship match of the 2017 NCAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament is slated for 1 p.m.