The Lady Bearcats were handed a tough Homecoming defeat, falling 1-0 to Hood College in double-overtime on the Saint Vincent turf. 

The game, which remained scoreless for nearly 91 minutes, was finally ended when Hood's Jacquie Lemar knocked a penalty stroke just past the reach of diving SVC goalie Jackie Novak.

For the game, Hood maintained a slight 14-12 advantage in total shots, with both Novak and Hood goalie Anne Marie Hantman making seven saves.   SVC's defense also managed to withstand 19 Hood penalty corners, while the Lady Bearcats took just three for the game.

In the first half, it looked as if the Lady Bearcats were poised to score the all-important first goal, as the team tallied seven shots over the first 35 minutes, but Hantman kept the hosts off the board, making five saves, including one on a Maryellen Baverso penalty stroke in the closing minutes of the half.

Hood then looked to hold the momentum for the duration of the second half, out-shooting the Lady Bearcats 7-3 and taking nine penalty corners.  The Blazers, however, were kept at bay by Novak, who made four saves over the second 35 minutes.

SVC did have a few scoring opportunities down the stretch in the second frame, with Sam Larkin and Rachel Hill just missing wide with shots over the final two minutes.

In the opening stages of the first overtime session, the Lady Bearcats again looked to own the momentum, with Tonya David and Hill each getting close shots on goal, but both were denied by Hartman.    Hood then had a trio of lengthy possessions over the latter stages of the first overtime, and were granted three corners over the final three minutes, but again, the SVC defense came up big, and the game headed into a second extra stanza.

The second overtime session began with the teams trading possession in the middle third of the field, until Hood began an odd-man break deep into Lady Bearcat territory. 

Five minutes into overtime number two, Novak denied Hood's Maria Smith from point-blank range, but following a scramble in the goal crease, the Blazers were granted the penalty stroke.  Lemar then flicked it just past the outreached arms of Novak and into the goal, ending the marathon contest.

It was the second Homecoming game in as many years that went into overtime for the Lady Bearcats, as last season, the team defeated Grove City in the extra session.

With the loss, the Lady Bearcats fall to 3-4 on the season.  They now face a quick turnaround, as will take on the College of Notre Dame (MD) Sunday afternoon beginning at 3pm.

PHOTO (By Jim Berger): SVC's Chrissy Deely battles for a loose ball on the sideline in the second half of the Lady Bearcats' Homecoming Day tilt with Hood College