WHEELING – The Shepherd women’s lacrosse team held just a one-goal lead at halftime but outscored Wheeling Jesuit 11-5 in the second half to pull out the win in the Mountain East Conference tournament championship Sunday. The Rams earned their second straight MEC tournament title, winning 17-10.

Wheeling Jesuit took a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the game with a goal from Paige Plesich, but it took less than a minute for the Rams to answer. Courtney Matthews sent the ball to the back of the net to tie the game at 1.

Plesich scored again to give Cardinals a 2-1 lead, but once again, the Rams countered about a minute later. This time, Sarah Wendt scored, assisted by Theresa Lang.

Shepherd took its first lead of the game on a goal by Erin Phelan, but Wheeling Jesuit didn’t let it last long, scoring back-to-back goals by Elizabeth Hales and Plesich.

The Rams weren’t ready to roll over, yet, scoring a pair of goals from Haley Price and Hunter Morris, taking a 5-4 lead.

Phelan stretched the Ram lead to 6-4 with just under four minutes left in the half, but Jesuit’s Marry Burns, assisted by Plesich, pulled the Cardinals within one with about a minute left in the half.

Wheeling Jesuit took a 7-6 lead four minutes into the second half with goals by Plesich and Jessie Tufnell. However, Alex Green and Phelan regained the lead with back-to-back goals.

The Cardinals tied the game one last time, getting a goal from Burns, evening the score at 8.

The Rams scored three straight goals to pull ahead one last time Brooke Hunley was assisted by Wendt, and Green got the ball to Price to make the score 10-8. Another got by Hunley, this time unassisted, extended the Shepherd lead.

Olivia Krock scored an unassisted goal for the Cardinals before the Rams added another pair of goals. Hunter Morris and Phelan both sent the ball to the back of the net to maintain the Shepherd lead.

Krock scored the last goal for Jesuit with 7:22 left, but Shepherd closed the game with four unanswered goals.

Courtney Schweigerath took advantage of a man-up situation to score, and Courtney Matthews, Morris and Lang all scored within the last two minutes to end the game.

Phelan, who was named tournament MVP, led the way with four goals for the Rams, Morris added three. Matthews, Price and Hunley each added a pair of goals.

Plesich paced the Cardinals with three goals, while Tufnell, Krock and Burns each scored twice.

Kelsey Phelan, Shavannah Shores and Price were all also named to the All-MEC Tournament team.