Cavs Bag Overtime Win in Home Opener
BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— After scoring a program-record 27 goals to open the season at Brenau University on Wednesday, the Montreat women's lacrosse team began its 2022 home slate on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Black Mountain, N.C. In an entertaining showdown against the Lees-McRae College Bobcats, the Cavaliers scored a sudden-death goal in overtime to claim a 15-14 win and its first-ever win against an NCAA Division II opponent. The Cavaliers improved to 2-0 on the season with the victory.
 
Lees-McRae and Montreat traded goals through the game's opening six minutes, with two Bobcat goals bookending a pair of Cavalier goals. After the Bobcats broke through first 1:06 into the game, Hannah Jarboe provided the answer just 46 seconds later thanks to a nice assist from Kate Gauntlett. The two Cavaliers would switch roles on the next goal only 42 seconds later, seizing a 2-1 edge.
 
Following a Lees-McRae answer, it was the Cavaliers who stepped up defensively to shut down the Bobcats over nearly 15 minutes of game action. During that stout defensive stretch, Montreat tallied three consecutive goals, two from Mina Hicks and one from Jarboe, that vaulted the Cavs ahead by three goals (5-2).
 
The final 8:34 of the second quarter provided a flurry of scoring action. After the two teams combined to score seven goals over 22:25, the two sides registered nine goals over the final 8:34. The Bobcats started the scoring spree with two quick goals 40 seconds apart to pull within one. Then, it was the hosts who whipped in four of the next five goals. Jarboe scored her third goal of the match and her second off a Gauntlett pass, while Gauntlett, Dovie Yates and Aleea Bone each added an unassisted goal.
 
With the Cavs up 9-5, the Bobcats scored two important goals late in the half, including one with two seconds left, to pull within two scores at the break.
 
The Cavaliers held edges on Lees-McRae in several important categories, including turnovers (16-12) and ground balls (15-10); however, the Bobcats won more draw controls (13-5) while also tallying more total shots (18-14) and free position goals (2-1). Montreat was significantly more effective in its attempted clearances, converting on 13 of 16 tries compared to LMC's 8-for-15.
 
Jarboe led all goal scorers in the first half with three tallies, while Gauntlett was the only player for either team two record multiple assists (2). Gauntlett and Hicks each contributed two goals as well during through two periods. Carlie Henning made four important saves for the Cavaliers to keep Montreat in the lead.
 
Lees-McRae (0-1) pulled within a goal just 49 seconds into the third quarter, but the Cavaliers had another goal spurt in the works. Izzy Knight, the reigning Appalachian Athletic Conference's (AAC) Offensive Player of the Year, scored her first goal of the day to restore the two-goal edge, and Gauntlett added two more unassisted goals to run her day's goal total to four. Gauntlett's fourth strike came a player up, and the Cavs tied their largest advantage of the contest leading 12-8.
 
Despite the deficit, Lees-McRae wasn't deterred. Through good ball movement and a few key saves, the Bobcats rattled off six consecutive goals over 16:19 to grab their largest lead of the contest, 14-12. Suddenly, it was the Cavaliers' turn to answer.
 
Montreat found an important goal to stop the run with 6:02 remaining in regulation. Yates added her second goal off Gauntlett's third assist, and then just 50 seconds later, Gauntlett made a long run while juking a defender to get a one-on-one chance with the goalie. The Arizona State transfer capitalized with her fifth goal of the day, tying the contest at 14 with 5:12 left.
 
Henning made several clutch saves down the stretch, including one on a free position shot with the Cavaliers down a player in the final 90 seconds. As a result, the two sides headed to overtime.
 
With 1:57 remaining in the first overtime period, the Cavaliers bagged the winner. Henning made a brilliant feed to Knight, who just checked out of the penalty box in the middle of the field. Knight then utilized her athleticism and quickness to sprint up field deep into LMC territory. With defenders converging, Knight dished a pass to Yates, who found a seam and rifled a shot into the net. Yates' third and final goal gave Montreat the 15-14 sudden-death victory and its second consecutive 2-0 start to a season.
 
"I knew Izzy would see that [pass] because I trust my teammate," Yates said. "I just had that adrenaline, and I knew she would get it to me, and I finished. It felt really good, and it was a great win."
 
Shots, saves and clearances all ended fairly even between the two sides in their tight battle. Lees-McRae ended with a 19-14 draw control edge, but the Cavs committed fewer turnovers (28-22) and snatched more ground balls (26-19). The Bobcats went 5-10 on free position shots, while Montreat was 2-7.
 
"We're very happy to start the season well, but learning how to play close games is a process," said head coach Tom Flynn. "Emotionally, you don't want to get too high when you're up. I think we did a great job not getting down when we fell behind late."
 
Gauntlett brought her season goal total to 11 with her five scores on Saturday, and she paced Montreat with three assists. Jarboe and Yates also recorded hat tricks, while Hicks registered two goals. Knight, Bone, Yates and Henning all handed out an assist. Defensively, Henning finished with 10 saves to hold off the Bobcats and help claim the win.
 
"I think, as a team, we have this great positivity that allows us to work together," Knight said.
 
Yates added, "I think we have never believed in ourselves more."
 
The Montreat women's lacrosse team remains in Black Mountain, N.C. for its next game. The Cavaliers play host to the Emmanuel College Lions on Thursday with the contest set to begin at 4:00 p.m.