PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie women's lacrosse team welcomed Charleston for a Saturday afternoon matchup, resulting in an 18-3 defeat for the Storm. By the 20-minute mark, a running clock was in effect as Lake Erie trailed 10-0. Despite showing resilience, they were unable to match the overwhelming talent of the Golden Eagles and fell to 1-5 on the season. The Storm will begin conference play against Ashland on Wednesday.
Game Recap
Lake Erie struggled from the start, with Charleston dominating the first period and jumping out to an 8-0 lead. The Golden Eagles controlled possession by winning six of nine draw controls, forcing nine Storm turnovers, converting all three of their free-position shots, and limiting Lake Erie to a single shot that hit the post. Charleston's experience was evident, as their first four goals—scored within six minutes of the opening face-off—came from juniors or seniors.
The second period brought more challenges for the Storm, as Charleston extended the lead to 10-0 before Brooke McNeal put Lake Erie on the board with 7:24 left in the half. The remainder of the quarter was relatively quiet, aside from another Charleston goal that made it 11-1 at halftime.
After the break, the Golden Eagles continued their offensive push, increasing their lead to 13. Freshman Rachel Rose notched her fifth goal of the season with 8:21 left in the third, bringing the score to 14-2. Charleston added another goal to enter the final period with a commanding 15-2 advantage.
There was no comeback in sight for the Storm, as Charleston tacked on three more goals to lead by 16 with just seven minutes remaining. However, Lake Erie played with pride, scoring the final goal of the game courtesy of Reese Friesen, who extended her scoring streak to three games.
Player Notes
Team Notes
It was a game to forget for the Storm, as they trailed Charleston in nearly every statistical category:
Looking Ahead
Lake Erie will begin G-MAC play on Wednesday, March 19, at 4 PM when they visit Ashland. The Eagles hold a 3-4 record but have faced tough non-conference competition, including losses to Lock Haven (9-13), Colorado at Colorado Springs (10-16), Davenport (3OT, 10-11), and #14 Grand Valley State (11-13). As one of the preseason favorites to compete for the conference title, Ashland will be a formidable test for Lake Erie. Notably, Ashland defeated Daemen 20-12, a team that handed Lake Erie a 15-2 loss earlier this season. The Storm will need to bring their best effort to pull off an upset.
Â
