(LEBANON, Ill., April 15)--The McKendree University women's lacrosse team was defeated in overtime at home Friday afternoon by Lake Erie College, 12-11. The Bearcats fall to 7-6 overall and 5-3 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Lake Erie improves to 5-6 overall and 3-4 in GLIAC action.
 
Tight defense and winning 15-of-24 draw controls put the Storm up early in the contest. Emily Nelson (Deephaven, Minn./Holy Family Catholic) started the offense for the Bearcats with an assist from Dana DiPasquale (St. Charles, Mo./Barat Academy) followed by her own unassisted goal later that half. Bree Suter (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) was able to score right before the half bringing the Bearcats only five off the Storm. Four consecutive goals from Suter, Hannah Sugarman (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional High School), DiPasquale, and Mia Fiore (Eureka, Mo./Eureka High School) brought the Bearcats back into the game narrowing Lake Erie's lead to one goal.
 
Paige Salthouse (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy) netted the game-tying goal for McKendree with 10.7 seconds left in regulation to force the extra period. The Bearcats kept the pressure in the Lake Erie zone for the early stages of overtime before the Storm was able to net the game-winner in the closing seconds of play. 

Suter finished the contest with four goals for McKendree, while DiPasquale helped out with two goals and a pair of assists. Nelson also found the back of the net twice for McKendree, which was playing its first overtime game of the 2016 season. 

McKendree will continue its home stand Sunday morning with another GLIAC game against Walsh University. Face-off is set for 10 a.m. at Leemon Field.