Norfolk, Va. -- The #8 ranked Women's Soccer team and Virginia Wesleyan had to play extra soccer to determine the winner but unfortunately the overtime periods were not enough either and the game ended in a tie, 0-0 after 2OT.

Lynchburg was able to get off shots in the first half but the Marlins defense was able to push the Hornets into low percentage shots. The strong play of the Virginia Wesleyan defense saved their goalkeeper from the formidable Hornet offense which has scored 11 goals and fired off over 100 shots in their past three games. The Hornets pushed the Marlins in the last 10 minutes but none of the shots found the target.

The second half started off quickly as senior goalkeeper Tess Frelick was called into action as Marli Hayward of Virginia Wesleyan fired a shot from outside of the box. Frelick went full extension and airborne to make the save and keep the game level.

After the quick Marlin attack, the Hornets responded with an attack of their own. Senior Camille Bartley found herself in familiar territory as she made her way down the left side and whipped a cross into the box. Sophomore Kennedy Jakubek was the first to the service and ripped a shot that Virginia Wesleyan goalkeeper Taylor Chapman deflected. The ricochet settled at the feet of senior Samantha Bagherpour at the top of the box and she went for the finesse shot but Chapman made another diving save.

Sophomore Brooke Kowalski created room for herself in the 72nd minute and ripped a shot that curled away from the keeper but once again Chapman made a great save and she got a finger to it which sent it off the post and down the end line.

The Hornets had another opportunity thwarted by the Marlin defense just three minutes later. Freshman Alyssa Rudy was on a breakaway and was engaged in an arm battle with a Virginia Welseyan defender. She was able to make it all the way to just inside the box but a slide tackle by the defender neutralized any danger. A penalty kick could have been awarded as the tackle did catch Rudy and sent her to the ground but the referee did not award it, despite the pleas of the Hornet bench and Rudy herself.

A free kick was awarded to the Marlins in the 81st minute and it was well over 30 yards from the goal. Brooke Adamchak sent the long ball into the box in hopes of it finding the back of the net after a deflection but instead it was long enough and caromed off the right post, suprising not only Frelick but the entire stadium.

90 minutes was not enough as the match would head into overtime. The first OT period did not see much action as both teams earned a corner and the teams combined for only three shots. The Marlins did have a breakaway in the last minute of the overtime period but Frelick came off her line and halted the Marlin attack, sending the game into a second overtime period.

Lynchburg had their best chance in the 101st minute as freshman Sarah Crider fired a shot that deflected off a Marlin defender and was gathered by senior Elizabeth Oden who sent a firecracker on frame but Chapman, who was having the best game of her young career, was able to parry the hard shot which was eventually cleared by one of her defenders. Neither team could string together a set of passes to create a threatening attack for the rest of the period.

Jakubek led the Hornets with five shots while senior Kelley Smith tallied four more. Frelick finished the night with five saves and earned yet another shutout in the tie, putting her at seven on the season.

The Hornets outshot the Marlins 26-10 but the shots on goal told the story of the game as the Hornets only edged the Marlins by one, 7-6.

This is the second 2OT game for the Hornets on the season as they opened the 2016 campaign with a hard fought tie against regional power Johns Hopkins, 1-1.

Saturday, Oct. 1 with be the next game for the ladies as they travel to Bridgewater for a 11:00 am tilt with the Eagles and will return home the following week when they host Emory and Henry at 6:00 pm on Oct. 5th.