Erin Clark scored the game-winning goal just 58 seconds into the first overtime period to lift the Youngstown State women's lacrosse team over Detroit Mercy on Saturday afternoon's Mid-American Conference contest at the Watson and Tressel Training Site, 12-11.

The Penguins improve to 4-3 overall and stay an unbeaten 2-0 in MAC play.  The Titans fall to 0-6 on the year, suffering their third loss of the conference schedule (0-3). The victory also moves the Penguins to a 4-1 overall record at home on the season.

YSU was led offensively by Clark who tied for a game-high three goals scored during a seven-shot outing, upping her season total to 19. The Montrose, N.Y. native logged six points during the contest with her hat trick of goals and three assists. Clark also scooped four draw controls. Thus far, Clark has tallied a multi-goal game in each of the Penguins seven outings during the 2022 season, including five games with at least three goals scored.

Natalie Calandra-Ryan, Lauren Ottensmeyer and Sydney Bumstead also tallied multi-goal outings for YSU, each scoring two goals apiece. Molly Sheridan, Ali Korin and Jordan Miller acted as the final Penguins to contribute to the 12-goal mark, each finding the cage once. YSU accumulated 37 shots for the game.

Enduring the full 60:58 outing in the cage for the Penguins, Savannah Clarke made seven saves on 19 shots faced for a .474 save percentage. Clarke also picked-up a lone ground ball.

Butler (3), Kopchia (2) and Gilbert (2) each tallied multi-goal outings for the Detroit Mercy, combining to score seven goals for the Titans.

After Detroit Mercy jumped out to an early five-goal advantage, Clark scored the first of her hat trick of goals on the afternoon and got the Penguins on the board at the 3:27 mark of the opening quarter on assist from Calandra-Ryan. Two minutes later, S. Bumstead found the back of the net to cut the Titan lead to 5-2 with 1:07 remaining in the first.

In the second, each team would add a trio of goals to up the score to 8-5 in favor of Detroit Mercy heading into the break. Korin (12:47) Ottensmeyer (10:17, 7:18) netted goals for YSU during the period.

The Penguins were able to deadlock the score at eight goals apiece in the third after being able to orchestrate another three-goal quarter while holding the Titans scoreless. Clark and Miller scored at the 9:39 and 7:52 points, respectively, and Sheridan logged her third goal of the season with just 38 ticks before the final quarter of play.

Detroit Mercy and YSU would deadlock at the nine and 10-goal marks before the Penguins would take their first lead of the contest with 6:59 left in regulation, 11-10, on a man-up goal by Calandra-Ryan. Following a near five-minute quiet spell by both squads, Detroit Mercy's Butler slipped one behind the outstretched stick of Clarke with 1:30 to play and would ultimately send the contest into overtime at 11-all.

In sudden-death format, Aryss Lindsey controlled the draw control and found Clark in open space for an eventual shot opportunity and the win, 12-11.

Overall, YSU outshot Detroit Mercy 37-26.

Up Next
The Penguins will continue MAC play, traveling to take on Kent State on Thurs., March 17, at Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio. First draw is set for primetime at 6 p.m.

For news and updates throughout the 2022 women's lacrosse season, follow @YSUwlax on Twitter.