WASHINGTON, D.C. (EMUEagles.com) -- A 9-0 scoring to open the game, which included excellent play on both ends of the field, helped the Eastern Michigan University lacrosse team grab a 16-5 victory over Howard University Sunday, Feb. 25, inside Greene Stadium in Washington, D.C., marking the first road win in program history. The Eagles (1-2), who won their first game in 2024, saw 10 different players record at least one point as 10 different players scored goals and eight different players tallied assists. The Bison (0-4) saw two players score twice but were unable to put a goal on board until 5:32 remained in the second quarter.
How It Happened
The Eagles opened the game on a 9-0 scoring run that included a 5-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Mackenzie Blackwell (North Beach, Md./Northern), Avery Schwab (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin-Scioto), Roya Khaleeli (Rancho Palo Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula), Tracy Grollman (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis Area Christian School), and Abby Alderman (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) each found the back of the net in the first with Khaleeli netting the first goal of her collegiate career.
Eastern added to its lead with the first four goals of the second quarter as Blackwell, Sydney Lawrence (Plano, Texas/Plano East/Oregon), Ab. Alderman, and Kelsea Dague (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) each scored. After the Bison scored twice, the Eagles closed the stanza with goals from Skylar Hilmer (San Diego, Calif./Patrick Henry) and the third from Ab. Alderman to give EMU an 11-2 halftime lead. With Hilmer's goal, the Eagles had eight different goal scorers in the game, which broke the previous school record of seven goal scorers that happened four times previously, including at Duquesne University, Feb. 15, the Eagles' most recent game prior to Sunday.
Howard scored first after the intermission before EMU netted four more goals, including two from Grollman to complete her hat trick, the third from Blackwell for her second hat trick in as many games, and the first for Kyleigh Dill (Dover, Del./Dover) on the day. EMU closed its scoring at 13:52 in the fourth as Amber Alderman (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) joined the scoring with a goal assisted by Grollman, who completed just the second double hat trick in program history as she finished with three goals and three assists on the day. The previous time that feat was accomplished came April 8, 2023, at Youngstown State University where Lawrence scored four goals and dished three helpers.
The Eastern defense was stout on the day as Giuliana Ditsky (Wyomissing, Pa./Berks Catholic), making her first start in goal this season, halted 11 shots and allowed just five past her. Ditsky, who made saves on the first eight shots she faced, tied for the third-most saves in a game in program history, just one off her best of 12 recorded twice in 2023, most recently at home against Central Michigan University, April 5, 2023. Additionally, the five goals allowed are the fewest in a game in program history as the only other time Eastern allowed single-digit goals to be scored was its 12-7 home win over Delaware State University, March 7, 2023.
