Wheeling, W. Va. – It was the final game of a seven-game non-conference stretch for the Wheeling Women's Lacrosse team (3-4, 0-0) as they welcomed in the University of Findlay. The Cardinals got out to an early lead, but had to fight to overtime as the Oilers came storming back. However, it was Wheeling that ended the day on top, taking home an 8-7 win to give them momentum heading into their Mountain East Conference (MEC) play.
The Cardinals held a 5-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but Findlay would go on a 4-1 run that gave them a 7-6 lead with two minutes to play. Findlay would end up winning the ensuing draw control, but Wheeling would earn a second life thanks to an Oiler's turnover. The Cardinals brought the ball back into the offensive zone and senior Jovie Noack set up the offense from behind the net. She would circle out around and hit a charging Sophia Cirone, who found the back of the net to tie things at 7-7. The Cardinals would win the next draw control, and took two more shots, courtesy of Danielle Anderson and Sophia Cirone, but neither would find the back of the net. Regulation would come to an end with the game sitting tide at 7-7 as Wheeling went to overtime for the first time during the 2026 season. After scoring to end regulation, the Cardinals were looking to take that momentum into the overtime period As they looked to score first.
The Cardinals would win the opening draw control of the overtime period, but a turnover would give Findlay the ball. Macy Davies would come through with a caused turnover on the other end as the two teams went back and forth. The first shot of overtime would come from Findlay's Rebecca Chmiel with 6:43 to go, but it would end up sailing wide of the net. An Oiler Green Card set the Cardinals back on offense with a man-up situation as they came up field. After Cirone and Noack connected for the final goal of regulation, the pair came together one more time to close out the win. This time, it was Cirone who had the ball in her stick and she sent it to Noack on the far side of the field. The senior was able to whip her shot past Findlay's goalie And into the back of the net. It secured Wheeling's third win of the season, and sent them into conference play with momentum.
The game-winning goal was just a cherry on top of another big effort for Jovie Noack. The senior finished with two goals and one assist, totaling three points, in the winning effort. It was the fourth consecutive game in which Noack has scored multiple goals and at least one assist, with Wheeling going 3-1 during that stretch. Leading the offensive effort for the Cardinals was Sophia Cirone, who finished with three goals and two assists to total Five Points on the day. She would be the one to send the game to overtime with a clutch goal late in the 4th quarter while also assisting on the game winner in overtime. Three other Cardinals would score goals on the day with Klara Domachowska, Paige Jankowski, and Trinity Rose each finding the back of the net. Giavonna Perkins held things down in net, finishing with nine saves on seven shots faced in the overtime win.
Wheeling would start the game fast and furious needing just 39 seconds to get on the board. They won the opening draw control and picked up the free position opportunity at the 14:30 mark. It would bring Noack to the line and she would take advantage of the opportunity scoring the first Wheeling goal of the day and giving them a 1-0 lead. After the Cardinals got on the board, the two teams went back and forth with a big save by Perkins keeping the Cardinals in front 1-0. At the 10:36 mark, Ava Annuziata came through with a caused turnover, and got the ball into the stick of Domachowska. She would end up finding Cirone for the Cardinals second goal of the day as they extended their lead to 2-0. It was part of a big opening quarter for Cirone, who scored again 5 minutes later and assisted on the fourth Cardinal goal of the day finding Rose. Findlay would notch their first goal before the quarter? Let out and Wheeling held a 4-1 advantage.
The Oilers would get their offense going in the second quarter, scoring the first two goals to make it a 4-3 game with 4:09 to go before the half. The Cardinals would put three shots on goal in the quarter, but Findlay goalie Caroline Weber put in a strong day, saving all three shots. Wheeling would be held off the board in that second quarter, heading into the break with a 4-3 advantage. Findlay came out of the halftime break and had the first scoring opportunity in the third, with Karissa Albright getting a free position attempt. Perkins would come through with the save and Wheeling would come charging back down the field. Domachowska would take the ball coast-to-coast, and found the net to give the Cardinals a 5-3 lead. It would be the only goal of the third quarter, before both teams had their highs and lows down the final stretch.
The Wheeling University Women's Lacrosse team returns to action on Saturday, March 21st, when they hit the road to face Point Park at 5 PM.
