GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Junior attacker Jessica Lemcke sent the Davenport University women's lacrosse team to its first-ever National Championship Saturday as she tallied the game-winning goal in overtime from Hanna Bush. The Panthers had to battle in a thrilling game Saturday evening against conference foe Lawrence Tech. Lemcke and Bush was also the combination that sent the Panthers to overtime with the Blue Devils as DU needed a goal with 48 seconds remaining to force the extra period. The Panthers kept this momentum alive as they won the draw to begin overtime and turned their offensive possession into the game-winning goal as they won 9-8 and earned the 2016 National Women's Lacrosse League (NWLL) National Championship. 

The teams saw a defensive battle all game long as the teams saw a narrow 5-4 score in favor of the Panthers at the break. Amber Livingston got the DU scoring started with a quick unassisted goal less than 3 minutes into the game. DU responded to the Blue Devil equalizing goal with three-straight as they pulled ahead to a 4-1 lead with just under 18 minutes remaining in the first half. Brooke Knoll gave the Panthers the 5-4 edge while Tara Pluger and Bush helped extend the DU lead.

Kadijah Kalo helped spark the LTU offense as they responded and the 14-6 Blue Devils scored three of their own to tie the game at 4-4. Kalo was the driving force for Lawrence Tech all tournament long and continued with a game-high four goals for the Blue Devils. DU remained poised and responded to the LT comeback with the final goal of the half as Pluger notched her second of the game.

Tension was built in the second half as the Panthers saw Lawrence Tech take a 8-7 lead into the final minutes of the game. Pluger and Lemcke each scored for DU while Kalo scored twice for the Blue Devils. Alyssa Shaver tied the game for LT with 8:32 remaining in the game and Isabelle Vickers gave LT the lead with 6:36 left in the game. DU Head Coach Rob Harris commented on the play of the Blue Devils, "Lawrence Tech is an amazing team. I knew that game was going to be close, but that game was a battle."
 
With the game and the tournament on the line, the Panthers remained poised. They fought to tie the game as the minutes ticked off of the clock and with 2:42 left in the game, DU called its final timeout.  DU came out of the timeout and turned the ball over as the Blue Devils sought to run out the clock. The Panther defense responded as Lemcke forced Alyssa Shaver of the Blue Devils to turn the ball over and revived life into the Panthers. The ensuing offensive possession by DU saw the Panthers remain in control and Bush found Lemcke who beat the Blue Devils keeper with just 48 second left on the clock to tie the game, 8-8. 

"I am unbelievably happy to see my girls hard work pay off. I kept pushing them throughout the year to give more to their team. They played like champions today", said Harris.

The Panthers fought to win the game in regulation as the final DU offensive possession of regulation saw Knoll and Lemcke have point-blank chances with less than 10 seconds remaining, but Blue Devil goal keeper Marie Klonowski made gave-saving stops and the teams went to overtime. The three-minute first overtime period, where the first team to score takes the game, saw Livingston win the crucial opening draw control for DU. This allowed the Panthers set their offense, and they took advantage of this opportunity. DU took their time and saw their first shot on goal be the deciding factor. Bush found Lemcke for the third time of the game and she beat the goal keeper to send DU to its first National Championship.
 
"We set our goal to win the NWLL. This one means more to us than anything else, conference or NAIA. We did not want to watch someone else hoist the National Tournament trophy on our field", said Harris.
 
The Panthers controlled the offensive opportunities in the game as they outshot the Blue Devils 31-to-17 for the game and 22-to-13 on goal. Klonowski took the decision in goal with 13 saves while Alex Yates earned the victory for DU with five saves. Defensively, the Panthers totaled 29 ground balls while LTU recorded 25. DU caused 11 turnovers with the Blue Devils totaling five. Yates and Madison Francis each totaled four ground balls to lead the Panthers while Maeve Sweeney, Hannah Maroe and Lemcke each caused two turnovers.
 
Lemcke earned NWLL National Championship Most Outstanding Player. Livingston and Pluger each earned their place on the NWLL National Championship All-Tournament Team.
 
The Panthers are NWLL National Champions and will finish their 2016 campaign in the NAIA Invitational in Greenville, S.C. with their quarterfinal game set for May 4 against Indiana Tech.