The women’s lacrosse team ground out two hard-fought wins last week, earning a 10-8 victory against North Coast Athletic Conference foe Allegheny College Alligators last Saturday, and topping Thiel College 8-7 three days later. First-year midfielder Bronwen Schumacher earned NCAC Player of the Week honors, particularly for scoring the game-clinching goal in the Yeowomen’s win over Allegheny, the first conference victory for the program since 2007.

Allegheny, which a year ago beat the Yeowomen 22-4, was caught off guard early in Saturday’s game at Fred Shults Field when Oberlin came out flying. Schumacher started the scoring a little more than two minutes into the game. After four more quick goals, two of which were scored by junior midfielder Ilyssa Meyer, Oberlin had a 5-1 lead with 19 minutes left to play in the first half.

The Gators slowly dug back, however, trimming this lead to 6-4 at the half.

Meyer opened the second half with a goal assisted by senior captain and midfielder Alice Zicht. Allegheny continued to claw its way back, however, and the score was tied at 8-8 with a little over 15 minutes left in the game.

But the Yeowomen defense displayed tenacity, holding Allegheny scoreless for the rest of the game, and eventually creating the opportunity for the decisive goal. First-year midfielder Jodi Helsel forced a turnover with 37 seconds left to play, allowing Schumacher to net a goal to put the score at 9-8 with just 23 seconds on the clock. Junior midfielder and Review staffer Molly Bloom added another score in the closing seconds, solidifying a crucial victory for the team.

Following this success, Oberlin made the long trip to Greenville, PA, to play Thiel College. Zicht, Meyer and sophomore midfielder Sarah Andrews led the offense with two goals apiece. After coasting to a 7-3 lead in the first half, the squad faced a steep challenge in the second. Thiel dished out three goals, bringing Oberlin’s lead to a slim 7-6 margin. Zicht scored an unassisted goal with eight minutes left to play, helping the team to hold on for an 8-7 victory.

The recent winning streak puts Oberlin at a an impressive 11-2 record, their best since the 1997 season, in which the program saw a record-setting 14-win season that included taking the NCAC conference crown. With three games left, the squad still has a chance to earn 14 wins.

New head coach Jacqueline McDevitt, who arrived after an impressive coaching stint as lead assistant at Occidental College, asserted that the team has a chance to do something that hasn’t been seen in Oberlin for a long time.

“I expect us to win the next three games,” she said. “The excitement that has surrounded our program, in the evolution and improvement of every player on the roster, has been so surreal, so energizing. I couldn’t be more excited, and more proud, of each and every person on the roster.”

See the Yeowomen send off their seniors this Sunday at Fred Shults Field as they play the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops at 1 p.m. for their Senior Day game.