MEADVILLE, Pa.. -- Freshman attack Gwen Shilling (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) fired in a free position goal with 1:21 left in the second overtime period to give the Grove City College women's lacrosse team a 14-13 victory Thursday night at Allegheny in the semifinals of the Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship Tournament, held at Robertson Complex. 

Third-seeded Grove City advances to Saturday's championship game to face No. 1 seed Washington & Jefferson. W&J pulled away from No. 4 Chatham for a 14-7 win in the other Thursday night semifinal.

No. 2 Allegheny appeared to score the game-winning goal two minutes into overtime but a charging call negated the score. In the second overtime, Grove City junior goalie Elyse Kiggins (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley) preserved the 13-13 tie by stopping Allegheny's Lauren Petrarca on the Gators' lone possession in the period. 

Four teammates joined Shilling in the scoring column Thursday night. Senior midfielder Madison Nazigian (Forest, Va./Jefferson Forest) fired in a single-game Grove City record eight goals to pace the offense. Shilling and freshman midfielder Tori Stevenson (Butler, Pa./Butler) both scored twice while junior midfielder Abby Roetering (Glenelg, Md./Glenelg) and sophomore attack Jackie Rowell (Laurel, Md./Reservoir) also scored. 

Roetering, Rowell, junior defender Emily Arnold (Ijamsville, Md./Urbana) and freshman attack Taylor Blythe (Mendon, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) each assisted one goal. 

Grove City (14-5) trailed 5-2 late in the second quarter but cut the lead to 5-4 by halftime as Nazigian scored twice in the final 2:52 of the half. Arnold assisted Nazigian's goal with 11 seconds left in the half.

The Wolverines then surged ahead by scoring four times in a four-minute span in the third quarter. Nazigian tied the game with an unassisted goal at the 12:12 mark. Rowell scored the go-ahead goal 43 seconds later. Roetering and Nazigian followed with goals, giving Grove City an 8-5 lead with 8:14 remaining in the third period. 

Allegheny reclaimed a 10-9 lead when Petrarca scored with 1:32 left in the period. Stevenson tied the game 11-11 with her second goal 4:14 into the fourth quarter. Two more Nazigian goals put Grove City ahead 13-11 with 5:30 left. Petrarca sent the game to overtime by scoring with 13 seconds left. 

The game featured seven ties.

Allegheny held a 33-29 edge in total shots. Grove City had 25 turnovers and Allegheny had 23 turnovers. Nazigian caused four turnovers while Roetering, Shilling, Stevenson, junior defender Sarah Jackson (Brookfield, Conn./Brookfield) and sophomore defender Reese Hasley (Cheswick, Pa./Deer Lakes) all had two caused turnovers each. 

Nazigian led Grove City with a game-high six ground balls. Arnold and Kiggins both collected five ground balls. Nazigian recorded 11 draw controls. Kiggins made 10 saves to earn the victory in goal. 

Twelve days ago, Allegheny handed host Grove City a 14-8 setback at Don Lyle Field in regular season action. 

Grove City will meet W&J in the conference tournament for the third straight season. In 2022, Grove City's first varsity season, W&J downed the Wolverines in the title game. W&J edged Grove City in last year's semifinals, 9-8. W&J nipped Grove City last Saturday in the regular season finale, 11-9, in Washington, Pa.

Saturday's winner will advance to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.