There is a first time for everything, and for Ashland University's women's lacrosse team on Saturday (April 27) night, that was a first conference tournament win.
Playing its initial game at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field on Saturday, the Eagles won for the first time in conference postseason play, 21-4, over Lake Erie.
"We needed a good, strong game going into the semifinal game, and I think we got that today," said Ashland head coach
Lauren Simko. "A little bit of a boost in our conference. It was a really strong team win across the board."
Ashland will take an 11-7 record into a 2024 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal on Thursday (May 2) at noon vs. Findlay (11-6) at Walsh. The Storm's season ends at 6-11.
In the course of the win on Saturday, five different Eagles scored at least five points – sophomore attacker
Rachel Crumbacher (five goals, three assists for eight points), sophomore attacker
Ashley Fisher (six goals, one assist for seven points), fifth-year midfielder
Madie Gash (one goal, four assists for five points), fifth-year attacker
Cassady Becker (four goals, one assist for five points), and freshman midfielder
Ashley Drexler (two goals, three assists for five points).
"It's great," Drexler said. "The chemistry is getting so much better, and it's so fun. We've been practicing the draw a lot more, so we are figuring that out, and that's looking really good. The offense, we're just moving a lot more, and the communication is getting way better."
Said Simko, "That's one thing that we've been working on all year, that everybody on that attack is a threat to goal. It's been really fun to watch it all come together."
POST-GAME NUGGETS
- The Eagles out-shot the Storm by a 39-12 count, and forced 22 Lake Erie turnovers.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Maria Mancuso (9-7) played the majority of the game, making five saves.
- Ashland is 6-0 all-time vs. Lake Erie.
