For the second game in a row, Northwestern found itself in a tight struggle with a Big Ten opponent.

After falling to Purdue in double overtime last Sunday, the Wildcats needed more than 100 minutes to decide the game against Ohio State on Friday.

Senior Tabitha Lowey provided the decisive strike 2:23 into the second overtime period, controlling a pass from sophomore Kelsey Hans and sailing it over the goalkeeper’s outstretched hands to give NU (9-8-1, 2-6-1 Big Ten) the 2-1 victory over the Buckeyes (6-9-2, 3-7-0).

“I was thinking I had to shoot it early because the goalie was off her line,” Lowey said. “I was just hoping my body was going to cooperate.”

The strike was Lowey’s third game-winning goal of the season and provided some redemption.

Lowey recorded nine shots before banging the winner home, including a breakaway shot that was saved by Buckeyes goalie Staci Sinkway in the first overtime.

“It’s definitely going down in my book of most gratifying game experiences,” she said. “Everyone deserved that goal.”

The game’s frantic pace, combined with the intensity of the teams, made for a contentious match in which the referee was the object of both teams’ complaints.

Hans and coach Jenny Haigh both received yellow cards during the match, and NU assistant coach Lindsey Jones was ejected with only three minutes left in regulation.

“Normally, he is a really quality referee,” Haigh said. “I just thought he was a little inconsistent. I didn’t know which little fouls were going to be called on which plays, so it was hard to adjust to the game.”

The Cats’ attack provided repeated challenges to the Buckeyes’ defense, firing 21 shots and outshooting Ohio State 11-2 in the second half and overtime.

Haigh said the team did a good job of possessing and attacking in the flank areas, which helped set up the Cats’ offense.

Midfielder Kelly Sitkowski won numerous headers from Ohio State’s Danielle Dietrich, who is three inches taller than her.

“I was just trying to get in front of her,” Sitkowski said, “Challenge everything.”

The Cats continued this brand of attacking soccer against Loyola (6-8-1) on Sunday but could not find the goal, losing 1-0.

NU outshot the Ramblers 19-7 and had eight corner kicks to Loyola’s two.

“It’s frustrating because I thought we worked really hard,” midfielder Jeanette Lorme said. “That’s just soccer; sometimes it doesn’t happen for you.”

Sunday’s loss was the fifth time NU has fallen despite outshooting their opponent.

Even with Friday’s win, the Cats didn’t gain any ground on Indiana and still trail the Hoosiers by two points for the last spot in the Big Ten tournament.

With Wisconsin’s win over Ohio State on Sunday, the Badgers and the Cats are tied for ninth in the conference.

The winner of Friday’s match between the Cats and the Badgers will seize the last spot for Big Tens with an Indiana loss against Purdue.

“(We) are going to come out hard against Wisconsin,” Lorme said.

Reach David Morrison at [email protected].