Women’s Lacrosse: Ohio State overcomes in-state rival Cincinnati 13-12 in overtime

The Ohio State women's lacrosse team huddles late in the second quarter during the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State senior attacker Nicole Ferrara (11) hitches overtop in the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Caleb Blake | For The Lantern

An Ohio State shot finds the back of the net during the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Caleb Blake | For The Lantern

Ohio State freshman attacker Zoe Coleman (45) looks upfield in the Ohio State-Cinnciati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rillery | Photo Editor

Ohio State senior attacker Nicole Ferrara (11) carries behind in the Ohio State-Cinncinati game, Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

The Ohio State offense sends the ball behind in eh Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State sophomore midfielder Annie Hargraves (3) charges inside during a free shot in the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State freshman midfielder Casey Roberts (25) clears in the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State graduate midfielder Jamie Level (6) grabs an early faceoff in the Ohio State-Cincinnati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Caleb Blake | For The Lantern

The Ohio State women's lacrosse team huddles following a third-quarter goal in the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zchary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State junior attacker Jamie Lasda (7) prepares for a free shot infront of the Cinncinati goal in the Ohio Sttae-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Caleb Blake | For The Lantern

Ohio State senior attacker Nicole Ferrara (11) adjust her headgear during the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State junior attacker Jamie Lasda (7) prepares for a free shot during the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State junior Jamie Lasda (7) holds the ball at the top of the box in the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State senior attacker Nicole Ferrara (11) gets a shot off in the Ohio State-Cinncinti game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Caleb Blake | For The Lantern

Ohio State junior attacker Jamie Lasda (7) scoops a loose ball during the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State senior attacker Nicole Ferrara (11) sprints past the Cincinnati defender during the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

The Ohio State offense breaks away during the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

Ohio State graduate midfielder Jamie Level (6) clears the ball during the Ohio State-Cinncinati game. Ohio State won 13-12. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

The Ohio State bench comes to celebrate on the field following Ohio States' 13-12 overtime win over Cincinnati. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor

After Ohio State and Cincinnati knotted at 12 goals after 60 minutes, senior attack Nicole Ferrara needed less than two to net the game-winning score in overtime.

A two-game losing streak for the Ohio State women’s lacrosse team ended on Tuesday after a down-to-the-wire 13-12 overtime win against in-state rival Cincinnati. 

Ferrara’s 17th goal of the season, which came from the left side of the net at 4:41 in overtime, was a special one for her and her teammates. Ferrara said they go over those types of situations in practice, including quick hitters like the one she had. 

“Our offense was doing really well. We just couldn’t finish towards the end so we just stuck with what we knew was going to work and just played fast,” Ferrara said. “The final minutes you just have to harness what you are willing to give at the end and I think everyone just gave it their all and it ended up going in our favor.”

The Buckeyes (4-2) struggled early, falling behind the Bearcats (4-2) by two goals in the first quarter.

That was the last time Ohio State trailed in the game, as a man-up goal from freshman midfielder Casey Roberts gave the Buckeyes momentum to score three more goals, notching a 6-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Head coach Amy Bokker said she didn’t think the team was playing its best out of fastbreak opportunities at the beginning of the game which contributed to the 2-0 start for Cincinnati. 

“I think we needed to play cleaner overall,” Bokker said. “The shots we’re taking were a little bit soft and I felt like we were settling rather than working for our best opportunity and our best angles on our shooting.” 

The second quarter started to speed up after a slow start when both the Bearcats and the Buckeyes scored four goals with under five minutes to go in the half.  

Despite a last-minute goal by Cincinnati sophomore attack Kylie Gioia, goals by Ferrara and Roberts helped Ohio State with a 8-6 lead at halftime. 

Roberts ended the game with a hat trick — her first as a Buckeye. Roberts said she wasn’t expecting much coming into the season but has now earned her spot on the team. 

“I was working as hard as I could, and it’s great to see all of our hard work pay off as a team,” Roberts said. “We’ve been working so hard from the fall with conditioning nonstop to be in shape, and I feel like we’re really producing now and we just got to keep fighting.”

Ohio State maintained the lead and scored two more goals in the third quarter, matching the Bearcats. Senior midfielder Bryce Pfundstein scored her second goal of the season while freshman attack Camryn Callaghan added to her 25 goals in just five games for Cincinnati. 

Callaghan scored two more goals in the fourth quarter and had a hat trick of her own. She leads all freshmen in the nation with 27 goals this season, averaging 4.8 per game.

Captain and junior goalie Regan Alexander had 14 saves and 12 goals allowed. With a 54 percent save rate, Bokker said Alexander helped build confidence for both the offense and defense throughout the game that helped maintain the lead. 

“It helps with trust, [like] when making a big stop we can clear the ball and get it over to the other half,” Bokker said. “It just gives us a big boost of energy that one is doing their job and the other [offense] needs to do their job too.” 

In the fourth quarter, Cincinnati tied the game 12-12 after Callaghan scored the last goal for the Bearcats assisted by junior attack Elizabeth Murphy with under five minutes to go. 

Ohio State had one last opportunity to take the lead in the final seconds of regulation on a free position shot taken by junior attack Jamie Lasda, but the ball hit the goal post, leading to overtime. 

At the beginning of overtime, Cincinnati senior defender Dani Mlkvy was called for a yellow card that ultimately helped the Buckeyes score a man-up goal from Ferrara as she struck the ball on the inner goal-post and into the back of the net.

Ohio State will travel to Harrisonburg, Virginia, to face James Madison on Saturday where faceoff is set for noon. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.