By Andy Walter

Mica Lambert scored the game-winning goal on a free position shot at the 1:40 mark of the fourth overtime period to lift Delaware State to a 13-12 win over Akron in a heart-stopping women’s lacrosse contest at Mike Drass Field on Sunday.

The win improves the Hornets to 2-0 for the first time in the 11-year history of the program.

Delaware State and Akron were tied at 12-12 at the end of regulation and after three three-minute OT sessions. Lambert was selected for the free position shot following an infraction on the Zips.

The right-hander fired a shot by Akron net-minder Kylan Rhude for the winning shot, setting off a joyous celebration on the field with her teammates.

The goal was the second of the game for Lambert. Rosella Nardi led the Hornets with four goals, while Ebony Reddick notched two.

Goalie Yeda Couto-Erickson recorded 16 saves, including two in the final 10 seconds of regulation and crucial stops late in the first and second OT periods.

UD moves up in polls: The Delaware men’s lacrosse team (3-0) moved up to No. 10 in the Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse Magazine polls, and No. 11 in the USILA poll.

Also for the Blue Hens, junior attackman J.P. Ward, and freshman attackman Finn Morgan received CAA Players of the Week awards. Ward received Offensive Player of the Week honors while Morgan received the league’s Rookie of the Week honors.

College basketball

MEN, Delaware State 69, South Carolina State 68: Martaz Robinson sank a pir of foul shots with 8.2 seconds left to lift the Hornets to the win.

The Bulldogs got the ball back upcourt and got off a shot from the lane that bounced off the rim.

Robinson finished with a game-high 28 points for DelState (4-7 MEAC, 6-20 overall), chich notched its second win over South Carolina State this winter. Okoye Parker added 14 points with Kyle Johnson adding 11.

WOMEN, Delaware State 50, South Carolina State 49: The Hornets (3-8 MEAC, 5-17 overall) took a 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter before holding on for the MEAC victory.

The Bulldogs’ Rakyha Reid hit one free throw with seven seconds left but missed the second to leave DelState with its one-point advantage. It was the Hornets’ second win over South Carolina State (2-8 MEAC, 3-22 overall) this season.

Alexis Moragne netted a game-high 18 points with Savannah Brooks adding 13 for Delaware State.

Drexel 67, Delaware 55: The Blue Hens fell to 7-7 CAA, 14-11 overall with the loss on Sunday.

Tara Cousins paced Delaware with 13 points, five rebounds and two steals. Rebecca Demeke and Klarke Sconiers (two blocks) followed with nine points while Jewel Smalls pulled down 10 rebounds.

Ex-Hen Darling signs with Clippers: Former Delaware basketball player Nate Darling signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers over the weekend.

Darling has played this season for the LA’s G-League affiliate, the Ontario Clippers. In 20 games he averaged 21.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steal per game.

Nelson wins CAA award: Delaware’s Jameer Nelson Jr. was tabbed the CAA Player of the Week after averaging 24.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.7 steals per game in a 2-1 week.

The week was highlighted by a career-high 39 points in a victory over third-place UNCW on 13-of-21 shooting and 5-of-8 from three-point range.

College baseball

The Citadel 11, Delaware State 10: Trey Paige hit for the cycle in the Hornets’ loss on Sunday.

He went 4-for-5 with three RBI, completing his cycle in the eighth inning by belting a two-run home run over the right field wall.

Mississippi 14, Delaware 4: The No. 4 Rebels completed the three-game sweep of the Blue Hens on Sunday.

Andrew Amato had a two-run double for Delaware (0-3) while Tyler Leach (1 RBI) went 2-for-2.

College softball

Florida 15, Delaware State 0: The Hornets were blanked on Sunday by the third-ranked Gators in the finale of the T-Mobile Tournament.

Destiny Beckham had two of DelState’s three hits to raise her season batting average to .615 (8-for-13). She also stole a base in the game to improve to five-for-five this season.

George Washington 3, Delaware 0: The Blue Hens (4-5) had a runner on base in all seven innings, but could not come up with a clutch hit as it fell in the weekend finale at the Carolina Classic.

Boys’ basketball

Laurel 89, Delmar 61: The Bulldogs improved to 12-1 in the South, 15-4 overall wiith the win.

Laurel plays at first-place Seaford (13-0 South) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in its regular-season finale.

St. Georges 44, Smyrna 40: The Eagles finish the season with a record of 3-17 after the non-conference loss.

Daniel Lerro and Obinna Coleman netted 10 points each for Smyrna.

Girls’ basketball

Appoquinimink 51, Delmarva Christian 39: The Jaguars jumped out to a 20-2 first-quarter lead before downing the Royals (16-3).

Sussex Central 41, Indian River 40: The Golden Knights built a nine-point halftime advantage before finishing the season at 7-13.

Blair Darmstadter, McKenna Boyle and Diamond Sample all scored 12 points for Sussex Central.

The Indians got a game-high 18 points from Mya Whittington.

Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at walter@iniusa.org. Follow on Twitter at @DSNSports.