MEADVILLE, Pa. - In an evenly-played game throughout, the visiting Case Western Reserve Spartans escaped the Robertson Athletic Complex with a 2-1 overtime victory.

After ceding a Case goal in the 65th minute, Gator senior Sarah Sherwood scored the equalizer with just over nine minutes left in the second half. Allegheny proceeded to hold a territorial advantage throughout the opening minutes of the extra session, but Case's Abby DeCicco's turning shot through traffic put an abrupt end to the match with four minutes left in overtime to give the Spartans the win.

Both teams played well in a fast-paced first half, with the Gators holding a slight edge in possession in the opening stanza. The hosts' first real scoring chance came in the 15th minute following an offsides whistle against Case, when Isabella Martinez had a pair of shots blocked from near the top of the box, with the second leading to Allegheny's first corner kick.  Off of the set piece, freshman Kelli Gaus directed a strong header just wide of the goal.

For the next 20 minutes, the bulk of the action took place in the middle third of the field, before another Martinez corner kick in the 31st minute was nearly directed in by Sarah Donohue, only to be saved by Case keeper Lauren Unterborn.  The Gators' were granted their fourth corner of the half with just inside seven minutes ago, but Taylor Renk's ensuing shot went high.  It marked the final scoring chance for either team in the opening frame, and the teams entered the intermission in a scoreless tie.

The Gators held a 7-2 advantage in shots over the opening 45 minutes, while also taking three of the four first half corner kicks.

Play opened up in the second half, with each squad taking five shots in the first 20 minutes.  In the 68th minute, the Gators were whistled for a foul just inside midfield.  The ensuing direct kick from Ana Petropolous from 40 yards out was perfect, as she tucked it just inside the crossbar and over a leaping Maya Hackman for the game's first goal.

Case continued the offensive pressure following the opening score, with two corners and three more shots over the next 10 minutes, but the Gator defense held off the attack.

With 9:50 left in regulation, Martinez send a lead pass through a pair of defenders to a racing Sherwood down the middle of the field.  The Gator veteran would get a shot off from just inside the box, and beat Unterborn to the far post to tie the knot the game at 1.

Both teams played for a regulation victory over the final nine minutes, but Hackman made a pair of saves on DeCicco in the 84th minute, before Renk was denied two minutes later, sending the game into OT.  Case held a slim 9-8 shot advantage in the second half, but the Spartans' increased pressure led to five corner kicks.

The Gators opened the extra time holding on to possession for the first four minutes, with a Blair Proteau shot from 25 yards sailing over the crossbar, and an attempt from Shannon McGuinn being saved by Unterborn in the 95th minute. 

On the ensuing rush up the field, DeCicco controlled the ball in the middle of the field through traffic, and launched a shot from 25 yards out into the far upper 90 to end the match with 4:12 left in the first overtime.

Eight different players combined for Allegheny's 17 shots, led by five attempts from Renk, and four from Martinez.  Hackman made three saves in goal.

Allegheny will look to return to winning ways when they return to action on Tues. Sept. 12, making the short trip south to Grove City College for a 4:30 p.m. non-conference bout.