Box Score GREENVILLE, Pa. – In a back-and-forth affair that featured four ties and five lead changes, Otterbein University jumped ahead late in the second half and held on down the stretch to claim an 11-8 victory over Thiel Sunday evening at the Rissell-Schreyer Dome.

Courtney Hilfinger, Alyssa Johnson and Shannon Back each scored three goals apiece for Otterbein (1-0), while Victoria Blatt contributed two goals and an assist. Kayle Quinter led the Cardinal defense with two groundballs and Karen Brady posted four saves in the win.

Otterbein finished with a 26-21 advantage in shots and won 12-of-21 draw controls.

Emily Harrigan (West Hartford, Conn./Hall) paced Thiel (0-3) with her second-consecutive three-goal effort, netting three goals on just five shots. Kelly Bellia and Beth Snider (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler Area) added a pair of goals each while Sharr Martin (San Diego, Calif./The Preuss School UCSD) added a goal of her own. Cassy Mahdi (Odenton, Md./Arundel) recorded two assist, three groundballs and won five draw controls.

Asia Wallace (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) finished with seven saves and registered three groundballs in the loss.
 
The Tomcats stood toe-to-toe with the Cardinals all the way through the opening half, as Otterbein raced out to a 2-0 lead behind back-to-back goals by Hilfinger. Bellia got Thiel on the scoreboard with 20 minutes to go in the first half, finding the back of the net to make the score 2-1. Five minutes later, Beth Snider (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler Area) tied things up at 2-2 with a free position goal of her own.
Otterbein answered just a minute later with a goal to take a 3-2 lead. Harrigan tied things up with a free position goal at the 11:47 mark, and gave the Tomcats their first lead of the game 21 seconds later, taking a Mahdi pass and depositing it in the back of the net for a 4-3 Thiel lead.

Snider and Martin each added goals before the half, as Thiel held a 6-4 lead at the break.

The Cardinals began the second half much the same way they did the first, scoring consecutive goals to tie the contest at 6-6.

Harrigan's score, her eighth of the season, with 15:55 remaining tied the game at 7-7. However, Otterbein outscored Thiel 4-1 from that point forward to escape with the win.

The Tomcats will be back in action on Wednesday when they host Ohio Wesleyan University at 7:30 p.m.