Photo by: Millie Schreibman

mfreter@mavs.coloradomesa.edu

The women’s lacrosse team hosted two out-of-state opponents from Lake Erie College and conference foe McKendree University and supplied Walker Field for both teams as a neutral site this past week. The Mavericks (1-3, 1-2 WILA) dropped a close 14-13 loss to Lake Erie on Wednesday but bounced back on Saturday with a convincing 15-4 victory over McKendree, their first of the season.

“It’s a big confidence booster to pick up our first conference win,” Simpson said after Saturday’s victory. “We talked as a team after practice Thursday about coming out strong, and it showed. I’m feeling good about our team going into this week.”

Wednesday night’s game looked to be going the Mavs’ way when freshman attack Paige Amme gave CMU the early lead just 30 seconds into the game. However, the Storm would answer with four straight goals to claim the lead. Three unassisted goals from Ashley Eickoff and Allie Henderson, along with a tally from Lexie Chavez, put them back within one point just halfway through the first stanza, but Lake Erie would score 10 of the next 13 goals to take a 14-8 lead midway through the second half.

CMU began a furious rally that showcased Henderson, Eickoff and Kelsey Krebs scoring five goals in a six-minute span to once again make it a one-goal game. Morgan Nance had a chance to tie the game on the next possession, but the Storm goalkeeper made a crucial save and cleared the ball to the other side of the field. Lake Erie held the ball for the final four minutes of the game to preserve the victory.

Goalie Lauren Wells took the loss with seven saves and 14 goals against. Henderson thought that the team played hard enough in the second half to complete the comeback but was not prepared for the stall in the final minutes.

“I think we had the right intensity,” Henderson said. “We like it better playing at home, and we wanted to pick up our first win here. We just need to learn how to break a four-minute stall and pick up our passes a little bit.”

With the squad desperate for a home win, the Mavs put together their most complete game to date against the McKendree Bearcats, dominating the first half with 11 goals from eight different players and allowing only one goal against.

McKendree tried to gain momentum by scoring the first goal of the second half but were answered with back-to-back unassisted goals by Keri Kopchik halfway through the period.

Wells (1-3) picked up her first win of the season with three saves and four goals against.

The team will take a trip to Florida this weekend to take on St. Michael’s College (0-1) and St. Leo University (2-4) on Saturday and Sunday.