Lynchburg, Va. -- The Hornets played perfect defense for an hour.

Unfortunately, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference field hockey championship game lasted just over 61 minutes.

Peyton Tysinger's overtime goal dashed University of Lynchburg's hopes for another ODAC title, instead earning No. 16 Washington and Lee a 1-0 victory over the No. 19-ranked Hornets in the 2022 edition of the title game.

Lynchburg's defense was outstanding from the outset. The game's early part was contested largely in the midfield, however. Washington and Lee earned the only scoring opportunity of a back-and-forth first quarter, but Hornets goalkeeper Kayla Brady was there to save the lone shot-on-goal of the period to keep the scoreboard blank after 15 minutes of play. The fourth-minute denial was the first of Brady's 10 stops on the day.

The junior had her work cut out for her in the second; Brady made three saves in the period's first 2 minutes before Lynchburg turned the tide of momentum as halftime approached. Marlou Wendriks logged the Hornets' first shot of the game in the 23rd minute (saved by W&L's Abby Long), and shortly after, Lynchburg earned the first penalty corner of the afternoon. After Brittany Claybaugh's insert, Aaryn Boatwright's shot was again saved by Long, and that was all the opportunity Lynchburg made in the first half.

W&L challenged again just before the half, but two more of Brady's six first-half saves kept the score knotted, 0-0, at the midway break.

Much like the first quarter, the third saw both defenses hold serve before teams could log a shot. W&L's three shots and Brady's lone save were the only statistics of the period.

Lynchburg made more opportunities in the fourth as Meike Ottjes, Brooke Hyland, and Wendriks each got shots off, but to no avail. The teams finished regulation in a scoreless tie.

In overtime, all the Generals needed was the ball. W&L took the opening possession down the field and immediately created a scoring opportunity. Brady was there to save Kailey Fitzgerald's initial shot-on-goal, but Freddie Tobeason tracked down the rebound for Washington and Lee and shoveled the ball to Tysinger, who scored on the open goal.

Ryleigh Cameron, Claybaugh, and Kessa Romero earned spots on the all-tournament team.

It was the second time in as many seasons that top-seeded Washington and Lee successfully defended home turf against the No. 2-seed Hornets; W&L won the 2021 title by a 3-1 tally. Lynchburg, winners of a league-best 21 ODAC titles in head coach Enza Steele's historic career, falls to 21-11 all-time in ODAC championship games and 0-4 at Washington and Lee in such scenarios.

The Hornets (17-4) must now put their postseason fate in the hands of the NCAA Division III tournament's selection committee, which will announce the 2022 championship field Sunday at 10:30 p.m. EST on NCAA.com. Lynchburg was ranked fifth in this week's Region VI rankings.

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--LYN--