ST. PAUL, Minn. – After a classic, Minnesota March snowstorm postponed the University of Northwestern and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Women's Lacrosse game last week, the two squads were finally able to square off Tuesday night at a windy and brisk Reynolds Field. It was the final tune-up before conference play begins on Saturday for Northwestern, and UW-La Crosse sure provided quite the test. UWL took control early and never looked back en route to an 18-4 win over UNW.
After Northwestern held possession for the game's opening minutes, La Crosse seized control and scored six times in the first quarter. Seven more goals in the second quarter made it 13-0 in favor of UWL at halftime.
The Eagles from the Wisconsin side of the border scored the first goal of the third quarter as well, but the Minnesota's Eagles got on the board with 2:15 left in the period via a
Cara Smith (Watertown, Wis./Watertown) goal to make it 14-1, which was the score heading into the fourth quarter.
UWL scored twice more to open the fourth quarter, but Northwestern answered back thanks to
Lauren Paar (Centerville, Minn./Centennial) with 7:35 remaining. UW-La Crosse put two more on the board to extend its advantage to 18-2 before UNW closed out the game on a high note.
Emma Snyder (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park) found the back of the cage with 2:17 left, then Paar scored on a coast-to-coast goal with just over a minute remaining to close out the scoring. UW-La Crosse headed back to the Badger State with an 18-4 win in hand as it improved to 6-2 on the season. Northwestern fell to 4-5 with the loss, ending its two-game winning streak.
Paar got it done on both ends for UNW, scoring twice, collecting three ground balls, winning five draw controls and causing two turnovers. Smith and Snyder each added one goal, two draw controls and one caused turnover apiece.
Reegan Duininck (Prinsburg, Minn./Central Minnesota Christian) caused one turnover a well, while
Emma Ruegemer (Cold Spring, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) tallied three draw controls.
Annika Dykstra (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) contributed two grounds balls, as did
Daisy Koffler (Pine City, Minn./Pine City), who also made eight saves in cage.
Northwestern will begin Midwest Lacrosse Conference play Saturday, April 6
th at Saint Benedict. The draw is slated for 1:00 PM in St. Joseph with sunny skies and warmer temperatures in the forecast.
