Ashland University women's lacrosse was born on Sept. 11, 2017.
Eight years later, the Eagles have accomplished winning a conference regular-season championship, and now, a conference tournament title, for the first time – thanks to a 20-3 win over Findlay on Saturday (May 3) at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field in the 2025 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament championship game.
"No doubt in my mind, no question," said Ashland head coach
Lauren Simko, when asked if that was the best game played in program history. "That is above and beyond the best one we've played."
Ashland also clinched a spot in its first-ever NCAA Division II postseason, starting on Thursday (May 8) at a spot to be announced during the NCAA selection show at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The Eagles extended their program record for wins in a season to 14 (14-5 record). Ashland has won seven straight games, and 11 out of the last 12, going into the NCAAs.
"It has been very fun to watch it all," Simko said.
Saturday's win came exactly two weeks after the Eagles clinched the Great Midwest regular-season championship with a 12-11 victory at Findlay (9-11).
Ashland scored the game's first seven goals, and then the contest's last eight. The 20 goals are the most ever scored in a Great Midwest women's lacrosse tourney title game.
Nearly half of the Eagles' tallies on Saturday came from freshman midfielder
Tori Wanat, who scored a career-high eight times. Junior attacker
Ashley Fisher finished with seven points (three goals, four assists), and junior attacker
Rachel Crumbacher collected 15 draw controls to go with five points (three goals, two assists).
An unsung member of the AU attack, junior attacker
Carlie Wilson, finished with four goals and an assist for five points – and now is one of four Eagles this season with score at least 40 times (43 goals).
"Carlie has worked hard to find a role on this attack unit," Simko noted. "It's hard when you're new and you're coming in as a junior and trying to find out where you fit in. She's a key player."
OH, AND STRONG DEFENSE, TOO…AND THE REST OF THE STORY
- Junior goalkeeper Annie Duncan stopped five shots, as the Eagle defense kept the Oilers to 13 shots (33-13 shots advantage) and forced 24 Findlay turnovers.
- "That defense adjusted very nicely with a quick turnaround of who we were going to play," Simko said.
- The Eagles also grabbed 20 of the game's 27 draw controls.
- "That was something we really stressed to the draw team," said Simko. "The last time we played them, we didn't have (sophomore attacker) Ashley Drexler, and we had her back today, and she did a phenomenal job of getting the ball exactly where we wanted it to go. Kudos to Rachel for just working her butt off getting the ball between the 30s."
- Ashland has scored at least 20 goals in a game nine times so far in 2025.
