KENNESAW, Ga. -- The Old Dominion women's lacrosse team won the 2016 Atlantic Sun Championship on Sunday with an 11-10 overtime victory over Detroit, securing the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament bid.
Megan Cameron scored a goal with under a minute remaining in the first overtime period off of an assist from Ashmore Standing to give ODU the thrilling victory and its second conference championship in program history. The only previous championship came in 1995 in the CAA. Head coach Heather Holt was the starting goalkeeper for that 1995 squad.
ODU will play in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 13. The opponent, time and location will be announced tonight on the NCAA Selection Show at 9 p.m. The show will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
Morgan Gallagher was named Tournament MVP, while Cameron, Standing, Maggi Buckley ad Missy Koscinski were named to the All-Tournament Team.
In a game the featured four lead changes and five ties, Detroit (12-8) had the better of the play early, as a pair of Lexie Kinmond goals put the Titans up 2-0 through the first 14 minutes of play.
Old Dominion (16-3) responded with a four-goal rally as Standing and Cameron scored back-to-back goals to tie the game, before Connor Carson gave ODU its first lead of the game with just over six minutes remaining in the half.
Cydney Tutchton then tallied a goal in the final two minutes to give ODU a 4-2 lead at halftime. Overall, ODU outshot Detroit, 15-12, and forced eight Titan turnovers while committing just three.
Natalie Ledwitz continued the ODU momentum into the second half, extending the lead to three, but a five-goal barrage from Detroit gave the Titans a 7-5 lead with 23 minutes remaining. After the teams continued to trade goals, Carson returned the lead to ODU at 9-8 with her second goal of the game at the 11:48 mark.
Standing then netted her third of the game to extend the lead to two just minutes later. Detroit answered with consecutive scores to tie the game for the fifth time with just over five remaining. The defenses would hold strong for the final five minutes and the game would head to overtime deadlocked at 10-10.
After Detroit won the draw, Kerri Caruso forced a key Detroit turnover on a fastbreak that eventually led to Cameron’s game-winner.
Overall, Standing led the team with three goals, while Cameron and Carson each netted two. The Titans held a 27-23 advantage in shots and a 12-9 edge in draw controls, but the ODU defense forced Detroit into 15 turnovers. Buckley earned the win in net, playing the full 60 minutes and tallying four saves.
TOURNAMENT MVP
Morgan Gallagher
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Morgan Gallagher
Ashmore Standing
Megan Cameron
Maggi Buckley
Missy Koscinski
UP NEXT
ODU will play in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 13. The opponent, time and location will be announced tonight on the NCAA Selection Show at 9 p.m. The show will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
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