PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie women's lacrosse team opened their season against William Jewell on Friday, falling short by a score of 12-3. The Storm kept it close early, trailing just 3-2 shortly after the second period began, but the Cardinals responded with nine straight goals to break the game wide open. William Jewell finished 1-14 last season in their inaugural year as a program, making this a game Lake Erie will look to put behind them as they move forward.
The Cardinals struck first, but with 4:44 left in the opening period, Madelyn Goodrich—last season's team goal leader (38)—put the Storm on the board, tying the game at one. Two late first-period goals from William Jewell gave them a 3-1 lead, but redshirt junior Reese Friesen responded off an assist from Amelia Shirk to cut the deficit back to one. However, the Cardinals went on a 5-0 run to close the half, heading into the break up 8-2.
Things didn't improve much for the Storm in the second half. Their offense failed to capitalize on five third-quarter shots, while the Cardinals added two more goals to start the fourth with a commanding 10-2 lead. Two quick William Jewell goals in the first two minutes of the final period effectively sealed the game, but an unassisted Brooke McNeal goal with 10:20 left provided a small bright spot in an otherwise tough season opener.
Lake Erie rotated through three goalkeepers, starting with Avery Artino before switching to Bethany Kirkwood at the beginning of the second period, then turning to Ainsley Sutter for the final 33 minutes. Artino recorded one save, while Sutter finished with four.
Statistically, the teams were nearly identical across most categories, showing that despite the lopsided final score, the game was more competitive than it appeared. A few key plays here and there could have made for a much different outcome.
The Storm will look to improve as they build chemistry under new head coach Lindy Brobeck. With one more victory, Lake Erie will reach 100 wins, a significant milestone for the program.
They'll have a chance to achieve it next Friday when they return home to face Saginaw Valley State. Also nicknamed the Cardinals, this will be the first women's lacrosse match in Saginaw's history. The team, joining the GLIAC this season, features nine freshmen, one sophomore, three juniors, and one senior.
