PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie women's lacrosse team hosted Walsh on Thursday evening, falling 20-2 to the reigning G-MAC champions. The Cavaliers, who have won the conference title the past four seasons, looked as dominant as ever with a balanced attack and stifling defense. The loss moves the Storm to 1-9 on the season with seven games remaining.
Game Recap
Walsh struck early with two quick goals in the opening minutes, but Lake Erie settled in and responded when Madelyn Goodrich found Brooke McNeal for a score midway through the first period. The Storm kept things close, limiting Walsh's attack for most of the quarter, though a late goal by the Cavaliers made it 3-1 heading into the second.
Lake Erie kept the momentum going as Goodrich converted a man-up opportunity to bring the Storm within one. However, despite generating solid looks, the offense went cold, while Walsh used its speed and athleticism to take control. The Cavaliers closed the half on a 7-0 run, heading into the break with a commanding 10-2 lead.
Walsh continued to extend its lead in the second half, adding six goals in the third period and four more in the fourth to cruise to a 20-2 victory.
Player Notes
Madelyn Goodrich and Brooke McNeal each added to their impressive seasons. McNeal now has a team-high 24 goals, while Goodrich sits at 18. Goodrich also recorded an assist, making her the team's sole leader in that category with eight.
Shannon Smith led the team with five ground balls, while Lainey Davis added three. Smith continues to dominate in this area, ranking second in the conference with 42 ground balls—more than double the next closest teammate (Goodrich, 19).
Ainsley Sutter started in goal, recording four saves in 20 minutes. Avery Artino took over for the final 40 minutes, adding three saves of her own.
Team Notes
Walsh was incredibly efficient on offense, putting 27 of 30 shots on goal. Seven were saved, while 20 found the back of the net. The Storm had a more typical shooting line, landing 9 of 15 shots on goal, with two scoring.
Lake Erie actually committed fewer turnovers than Walsh, 17 to 18.
Ground balls were nearly even, with Walsh edging out the Storm 19-18.
Draw controls were a major factor, as the Cavaliers dominated 21 of 25, led by Mallory Miller, who won 11 on her own.
Clearing hurt the Storm, as they converted just 12 of 21 attempts, compared to Walsh's 11 of 13.
Lake Erie continues to struggle on free-position shots, going 0-for-6 on the night and just 1-for-15 over the past three games. They are now 10-for-35 on the season.
The Matchup
The dynamic between these two programs has completely flipped. Lake Erie won the first eight meetings between 2013 and 2018, but Walsh has now claimed victory in the last seven matchups.
Looking Ahead
The Storm return home on Monday, March 31, to host Malone. The Pioneers are off to a strong start this season, sitting at 9-4 with dominant wins in their last four games. They've previously beaten Davis & Elkins 11-9, a team that edged out Lake Erie 13-11 earlier this year, and lost to Charleston 21-9, a team that defeated the Storm 18-3. Malone is led by Abbey Burns and Cam English, who have combined for 74 goals and 40 assists this season.
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