Over spring break, the Oberlin women’s lacrosse team traveled to Oregon for a pair of non-conference matchups, coming away with two statement wins. After battling to an overtime victory against Lewis & Clark College, the Yeowomen followed it up with a dominant performance over Willamette University to complete the sweep. Oberlin returned home with momentum and an impressive 9–1 record, marking its first winning season since 2018 (excluding the shortened Covid season in 2020).
The opening game tested Oberlin’s resilience from the start. Falling behind 0–3 early, the Yeowomen slowly worked their way back, sparked by a connection between fourth-year Olivia Corradi and second-year Kylie Thompson to get on the board. From there, fourth-year Megan Hiller took over offensively, scoring twice in quick succession to cut the deficit to one at halftime.
Hiller would finish with four goals, while Thompson led the team with six points and four assists, orchestrating much of the offense. Corradi also made a major impact on the draw, collecting a career-high seven points, while fourth-year Maddie Weathers anchored the defense with four caused turnovers.
For Thompson, the comeback effort reflected the team’s trust in one another.
“A lot of it comes down to trusting my teammates,” Thompson wrote in an email to the Review. “We have been putting in the work during practice and trusting the coaches’ plays, and during the game I was just trying to stay confident and make the right plays.”
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Lewis & Clark striking first and Oberlin responding each time. Hiller and Thompson connected again to even the score, while second-year Sophie Ward added another equalizer in a tightly contested back-and-forth battle.
Late-game execution ultimately defined the outcome. Trailing 9–10 in the final minutes, Oberlin’s defense forced key turnovers to regain possession. With seconds remaining, Corradi drew a free-position opportunity and converted, tying the game and forcing overtime.
In overtime, where the first team to score wins the game, third-year goalkeeper Emily Berger delivered a crucial save before Oberlin regained possession. After a brief turnover, second-year Mary Rodman capitalized on a feed from Thompson, burying the game-winner to complete the comeback.
Assistant Coach Meghan Nasman pointed to the team’s energy in overtime as a defining factor in their victory.
“At Lewis & Clark, when [we sent] the game into overtime, watching their energy and excitement for each other put us in a great position to win that game,” Nasman said.
The Yeowomen carried that momentum into the second game against Willamette, where they delivered one of their most complete performances of the season. The win not only secured the sweep, but also clinched Oberlin’s first winning season in eight years, excluding the 2020 season shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The game was highlighted by a historic performance from Thompson, who tied the program’s single-game assist record with five and totaled 10 points, becoming the first Oberlin player to reach that mark since 2020. Hiller matched the offensive surge with five goals and three assists, recording a career-high in points and continuing her climb up the program’s all-time scoring lists.
Reflecting on the performance, Thompson emphasized the significance of the Yeowomen reaching milestones that haven’t been surpassed in years, both personally and as a group.
“To be part of something like that and make history is super exciting and something I will remember,” Thompson wrote. “I think what makes it even more meaningful is that we have had a lot of milestones this year, both individually and as a team, and that really speaks to the dedication and work everyone has put in.”
Even with the offensive success, the conditions and quick turnaround presented challenges.
“The team showed a lot of resilience with the heat, overtime, and winning back-to-back games,” Thompson continued. “Our team has a lot of energy and resiliency, which makes us stand out. I think this will really help us succeed once we are in conference [play].”
Nasman echoed that sentiment, noting the emphasis on mental toughness heading into the second game.
“Going into the second game, we tried to emphasize the importance of adversity and being able to play while we are tired,” Nasman said. “We had moments where it was getting tough with the heat and playing back-to-back, but [we] just kept reminding them that if they can play through this, they can play through anything.”
With the non-conference schedule complete, Oberlin now turns its focus to conference play. After a demanding trip and a pair of hard-fought wins, the team is looking to carry its momentum forward while resetting its mindset.
“The trip was an excellent opportunity to sharpen our skills before conference play,” Hiller wrote. “We gained confidence and pinpointed what we need to work on this upcoming week to make sure we perform our best as the games progress.”
After a well-deserved period of rest, the Yeowomen will return to action Saturday, when they host Wittenberg University to open North Coast Athletic Conference play while looking to build on a historic start and continue a season defined by resilience, momentum, and standout performances.
“We’re really excited going into the conference starting this weekend,” Nasman said. “The focus is on starting back at 0–0. We want to be more competitive, and that starts with the mentality of having every game feel like we’re back at 0–0. We want to keep our ‘win the quarter’ mentality and take it game by game.”
