The Lady Blues expected an evenly matched game to start their season, and that’s exactly what they got.

Two overtimes were not enough to settle the match up between the closely ranked teams, and the game ended in a 3-3 tie. No. 13 Washburn got off to a quick start by taking a 3-1 lead, but the 17th ranked Central Oklahoma Broncos scored two late goals to salvage the tie.

“We played well enough to get a 3-3 tie, but we were winning 3-1 at the half and they came back after scoring twice in the second half,” said head coach Tim Collins.

The team was satisfied overall with its first game, but felt they should have finished off the Broncos and left the field with a victory.

“We did really well and put our first goal away in the first five minutes, but we need to have the composure to finish the game,” said junior defender Lisa Fahey, who scored her first career goal as a Lady Blue off a corner kick by senior Brie Forman.

Manon Englehardt, a junior transfer from the University of Iowa, played well in her first Division II game. The forward knocked in two goals that were assisted by junior Jessica Mainz and sophomore Keeley Lambeth to round out the scoring for the Lady Blues.

“We could have won this game,” said Fahey. “It’s against a ranked team and winning it would have been a great way to start the season.”

Washburn has not lost a game in regulation since the 2005 season but has gone into double overtime in five of its last six games going back to last year. Unlike its last double overtime appearance, where the Lady Blues lost in the NCAA tournament to top ranked Nebraska-Omaha, the team will not have to wait nine months to take the field again.

“We play again Sunday against Midwestern State,” said Fahey. “It should be a good game, and we’re expecting to play well in that game and for the rest of the season.”