MARQUETTE, MICH. – First-year
Lizzie Schrubbe scored two goals and
Grace Fitzgibbons had another but the College of Saint Benedict lacrosse team (0-1) dropped a
nonconference 20-3 decision to NCAA Division II Northern Michigan (4-1) in the season opener on Saturday, Feb. 24.
With the loss, CSB, which won the Midwest Lacrosse Conference a year ago and finished 11-3 overall, is 0-1 on the season and will next play on March 9 when the
Bennies travel to the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse for a 1 p.m. game. Northern Michigan improved their record to 4-1.
With a 10-1 shots edge in the opening period, Northern Michigan, which was 11-7 a year ago and runner-up in the
GLIAC Tournament, put up seven goals to grab a lead. Then, CSB was able to break through in the second period with a pair of goals, but the Wildcats added five more for a 12-2 lead. Northern Michigan had a 13-to-2 edge in shots in the second quarter.
Through the opening two periods, the Wildcats had a 15-to-13 margin in ground balls and 12-to-3 edge in draw controls. With five goals on seven shots in the third period, NMU extended their advantage to 17-2. In the third quarter, CSB had three shots and was even with the Wildcats in draw controls with three each. In the fourth quarter, the Wildcats held a 3-1 goals edge for the 20-3 final. Northern Michigan also had a 5-to-2 margin in shots and 5-to-4 advantage in grounds balls while CSB won 3-of-5 draw controls.
Fitzgibbons opened the scoring for CSB with an even strength tally off a free position goal at the 10:03 mark of the second period. Then Schrubbe scored an unassisted even-strength goal at 2:04 of the quarter as CSB cut the lead to 11-2. At 13:27 of the fourth quarter, Schrubbe tallied an even-strength goal off an assist from
Sami Hackley.
Northern Michigan was led by Minnie Bittell, who had four goals, while Josie Lakosky added three with two each from Danielle Key, Clara Johnson, and Taylor Priestley. Schrubbe led CSB in goals with two and shots with four.
Emma Nelson,
Emma Osland,
Fitzgibbons,
Emma Halweg also had shots for CSB.