Sunday’s Women’s Lacrosse Results
Eastern Michigan 18, Youngstown State 11
Central Michigan 11, Akron 7
Detroit Mercy 15, Kent State 11
Stories Courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Eastern Michigan 18, Youngstown State 11
Box Score
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- Several record performances helped the Eastern Michigan University lacrosse team score an 18-11 Mid-American Conference road victory at Youngstown State University Sunday, April 21, and punched the team Eagles' ticket to the upcoming 2024 MAC Tournament in two weeks' time. The Eagles (7-7, 4-1 MAC) had several top performers in the win over the Penguins (0-15, 0-5 MAC), most notably Sydney Lawrence (Plano, Texas/Plano East/Oregon), who finished the game with eight goals and five assists for 13 points, which tied for the most points in a single game played this year in NCAA Division I.
Heading to the Tournament
Like one year ago, the Eagles were one game from ending their regular season. The major difference, however, is the 2024 team will have more games to play after next week's finale. Standing 4-1 in league play and with results tabulated from the day, the Eagles have clinched a berth in the 2024 MAC Tournament, which will take place May 2 and 4 at location to be determined. As it stands, Central Michigan University (5-0 MAC) is in a position to host the tournament as the top seed while EMU (4-1), Robert Morris University (3-2), and the University of Detroit Mercy (3-3) are the remaining teams in the field. Games played next weekend, including RMU at EMU, Sunday, April 28, at 1 p.m. for Senior Day, will go a long way toward determining seeding in the event.
How It Happened
Despite Lawrence opening the scoring with her first of eight goals at the 12:05 mark in the first, the Eagles found themselves trailing, 4-2, at the end of the first. The Penguins tied things up two minutes after Lawrence's first and then again scored with 6:28 remaining. The hosts added two more to build a two-goal advantage after one.
In the second, Lawrence came out and scored her hat trick on a woman-up advantage just 12 seconds into the second before YSU scored once again. But that is where Eastern began its push to victory as Skylar Hilmer (San Diego, Calif./Patrick Henry), who was playing on her birthday, scored her first of the day with Mackenzie Blackwell (North Beach, Md./Northern) following with an up goal that Lawrence assisted on. Lawrence then dished to Abby Alderman (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) for her goal before Hilmer was back for her second and a 7-5 EMU lead at halftime.
Following the break, Lawrence, who posted three goals and two assists in the first half, answered a YSU goal to make it 8-6 before another Penguins' goal cut the lead to 8-7 with 10:44 remaining in the third. From there, however, the Eagles rose to the occasion and scored five in a row with Lawrence scoring the first two of the run. From there, Amber Alderman (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) scored on the advantage from a Tracy Grollman (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis Area Christian School) assist with her sister Abby Alderman following with a woman-up goal assisted by Lawrence. Blackwell scored again on the advantage, this time being assisted by Roya Khaleeli (Rancho Palo Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula), to make it 13-7. After a YSU goal, Blackwell netted her hat trick, but the hosts scored twice more in the final 40 seconds to make it 14-10 at the end of three.
In the final stanza, it was all Eagles as Eastern scored four goals and allowed just one. Grollman, who was assisted by Lawrence, scored on the advantage before Lawrence added her own woman-up goal, and Hilmer finished her hat trick with another Lawrence assist. After the Penguins scored their final goal, Lawrence, netted her final of eight scores to bring the final to 18-11.
Central Michigan 11, Akron 7
Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Central Michigan Lacrosse clinched the Mid-American Conference's top seed in the 2024 league tournament and at least a share of the MAC regular season crown with an 11-7 victory over Akron Sunday afternoon at the CMU Lacrosse Complex, with a chance at an undefeated regular season in conference play Saturday at Kent State (April 27; 1 p.m.).
Junior goalie Alexa Martel (Rochester, N.Y. / Greece Olympia) eclipsed her own program record of 175 saves from the 2023 season by halftime against the Zips, finishing the day at 183 saves for the season after a 16-save gem that featured a near-.700 save percentage.
"We've definitely leaned on our defense all season," Head Coach Emilia Ward said. "When you return your entire starting defense, your first off the bench, and your goalie, it makes life a lot easier down there. They definitely bailed us out of some situations; our offense wasn't quite as in-sync as it was last week, but I think some of that has to do with how Akron was defending us."
Sunday's 11-goal output was much different than the previous five meetings in the series between the Chippewas and the Zips: CMU poured in 21 in last season's outing. Still, Sandy Edwards (Stuart, Fla. / Jensen Beach) and Skye DePrado (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Allegheny) played their roles as they have throughout conference play, each recording a hat trick with an assist, a new career mark for Edwards. The senior midfielder also tied her career mark of three ground balls.
The offensive struggle came in the turnover margin, which favored Akron slightly, 19-17, though the Zips also fired 32 shots to CMU's 23. A key advantage for the Chippewas came on a two-for-five day in free position goals—one each from DePrado and Celia Dow (Penfield, N.Y. / Penfield)—while Martel and the CMU defense shut the Zips out in the category on six attempts.
As the final regular season home game for the Chippewas, Sunday also served as Senior Day for their six true seniors, Sandy Edwards, Makenna Huhn, Madeline Kosir, Abigail Lair, Olivia Moorman and Avery Wagnon along with fifth-years Amanda Hilderbrandt and Hailie Moore. Kosir made her first career start in her 21st appearance in Maroon & Gold Sunday, playing heavy minutes in the middle of the CMU defense.
"Senior Day always has a lot of emotions leading into it. Our seniors handled it really well. We still have some work to do to get an outright championship for the regular season, but we're definitely not going to overshadow their celebration here. We want to celebrate our senior class; we'll get back to work on Tuesday."
The outright, undefeated regular season MAC Championship awaits the Chippewas in Kent, Ohio Saturday. While the 'next game' mentality reigns within the program, there is an understanding of the circumstance that lies ahead in less than two weeks.
"In conference, we've definitely taken care of home field. It's always nice to host; the girls get to sleep in their own beds and have a more normal routine. This group has really high aspirations for where they want to get to, so I think they'll lock in to close out the regular season, then look forward to the tournament."
Central Michigan Lacrosse concludes the 2024 regular season Saturday at 1 p.m. at Kent State, then transitions to host the 2024 Mid-American Conference Championship tournament, with semifinal matchups on May 2 and the final May 4.
Detroit Mercy 15, Kent State 11
Box Score
DETROIT (4/21/2024) -- The Titans used a dominant third quarter and some stifling defense to stamp their ticket to the postseason as the University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse team was the golden one today in a 15-11 victory over Kent State.
Detroit Mercy went on a 6-0 charge in the second half to secure the win and clinch a spot in the MAC Championship for the first time in school history. UDM can get as high as a third seed after the completion of the regular season next week as the event will be held at top-seeded Central Michigan, May 2-4.
After the game, the Titans honored their 12-member senior class, which has persevered through a pandemic and a coaching change to reach the playoffs in Ella Brandt, Marina Butler, Charlotte Dale, Emma Donahue, Julia Fortino, Lena Kinczel, Cat Kopchia, Kristine Kropp, Sarah Meek, Kiah Nuessgen, Abby Schillinger, and Cecelia Vergara.
Kopchia ended the game with four goals and an assist, while junior Leah Bodnar and sophomore Libby Cuckler each had three goals and a helper, a career-high in goals and a career-tying four points for Cuckler. Junior Maddy Camm recorded a career-tying three goals, a team-high six draw controls, three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers and junior Meredith Leavell made eight saves and picked up two ground balls.
The Titans (4-11, 3-3 MAC) saw Kent State (5-11, 2-3 MAC) score first, but they came back with four straight. Camm got the offense going, winning a draw control and then taking a pass from sophomore Alyssa Jarvis and beating the keeper. She won the next draw and that got the ball in the crosse of Kopchia, who fired one in for a 2-1 lead. Kopchia then set up Cuckler for her first marker and after two saves from Leavell, Cuckler found Camm and she found the back of the net for a 4-1 advantage with 4:37 left in the first.
Graduate senior Marina Butler, Camm and Kopchia all scored in the second, but it was a 7-7 game at the break.
The red, white, and blue came out ready to go in the third quarter as Kopchia was fouled and scored on the free position to start a 6-0 charge. Brandt came up with a turnover and Bodnar followed with a score and then Nuessgen had a takeaway and Bodnar finished that position off with a goal as well for a 10-7 lead at the 3:52 mark. Camm won the next draw and then was fouled as she netted a free-position goal, and with 23 seconds left in the third, Bodnar had a tally for a 12-7 lead after three as UDM blanked KSU and scored on five of its 11 shots.
Detroit Mercy kept it going in the fourth as a save by Leavell set up another offensive possession and Cuckler posted her hat trick for a 13-7 advantage with 11:56 left.
UDM also had a six-goal lead at 14-8 as Kopchia netted one with 5:21 remaining and Schillinger took all thoughts of a comeback out of the Golden Flashes as Kinczel located her for her first career assist and she tickled the twine for a 15-10 margin with 2:11 on the clock.
Vergara ended with a career-high five draw controls. Junior Katie Bilello had three GB's with a caused turnover and Nuessgeen posted two caused turnovers and a ground ball.
The Titans won the battle of ground balls, 19-17, were 16-of-17 on clears and saw the Golden Flashes turn it over 17 times, registering nine caused turnovers. UDM was 3-of-3 on the free position and held Kent State to 0-of-2.
Detroit Mercy will have one more game left in the regular season before heading to the postseason as the Titans visit Butler on Saturday.
