Box Score GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The sixth-ranked Indiana Tech women's lacrosse team got even with fourth-ranked Aquinas in the semifinals of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament, earning an automatic bid to the National Women's Lacrosse League National Tournament with a 17-16 victory on the campus of Davenport University on Friday night.
Tech used an 11 goal first half to take a four goal lead into the final 30 minutes, holding on in the second half for the one goal lead. The Warriors (10-4) scored just six goals in the second, however, they kept the Saints to just nine for the win.
Aquinas won the opening draw and a Tech foul gave the Saints a free position attempt and Hanna Crosby converted for the 1-0 lead. WHAC Offensive Player of the Year and two-time First-Team All-Conference,
Kendall Guthrie, won the ensuing draw control leading to the equalizer from two-time WHAC First Team selection,
Autumn McMillin. The goal sparked a 6-0 run by the Warriors with goals from WHAC Honorable Mention selection,
Lauren Allard, another from McMillin and three consecutive tallies from Guthrie to push the lead to five, 6-1.
Just 30 seconds after the goal from McMillin, Tech goalie
Meaghan Eldridge made a save on a free position shot, but couldn't prevent Crosby from getting her second tally at the 18:26 mark. Aquinas put together three more goals to cut the lead to one, 6-5. The Warriors weren't done though as Tech's third WHAC First-Team All-Conference selection,
Alexis DiGiovanni go in on the scoring with an assist from WHAC Honorable mention honoree,
Alexa Winter. DiGiovanni scored again with an assist from
Aubri Hazen while McMillin, Allard and Winter added three free position goals to stretch the lead to six, 11-5. The Saints added two more goals in the final three minutes to make it 11-7 at the break.
Tech outshot Aquinas 20-17 in the half while both teams collected 14 ground balls and the Saints won draw controls 12-7. The Warriors finished the first half 15-for-15 on clears while the Saints were 16-for-18 and the Warriors also scored five free position goals to just one for their opponents.
Alexandra Burns opened the second half with an unassisted goal for Aquinas and Crosby added three unanswered goals, two on free position opportunities, tying the game at 11. McMillin, Guthrie and DiGiovanni answered the Saints goals with one goal each to push the lead back to three, 14-11. It was a tenuous final 15 minutes as Aquinas scored two more goals to cut the lead to one.
Guthrie and Burns traded goals before Winter and Guthrie pushed the lead back to three, 17-14 with 10:22 to go. Crosby cut the lead to two 20 seconds later and Jennifer Adams converted a free position shot with 6:05 to play to cut the lead to one. The defense was able to shut it down form there causing two turnovers and getting a key save from Eldridge with 2:25 to play to preserve the 17-16 win.
Guthrie led the Warriors with six points on six goals with DiGiovanni finishing with five points on three goals and two assists while McMillin added four goals for four points.
Eldridge got the win in net, playing all 60 minutes, allowing 16 goals while making 13 saves.
The Warriors will take the top seed and second-ranked Panthers of Davenport at 7 p.m. in the WHAC Championship game to be held in Grand Rapids, Mich. The event will be live streamed here.
