By Marissa Masano / The Jambar
Three Penguins netted hat tricks en route to a season-high, 15-goal performance for the Youngstown State University women’s lacrosse team. Seven season highs were posted for the Penguins against Detroit Mercy University on April 4 as YSU broke a three-game losing streak.
The 15-7 victory at Titan Field marks the Penguins’ second overall win, second road win and second Mid-American Conference win. Senior Ally Garrett, sophomore Claire Baenziger and freshman Molly Brooks led the Penguins’ scoring efforts with three goals apiece.
Less than a minute into the contest, sophomore Sami Drew opened the scoring momentarily, but a stick violation erased the Penguins’ goal. The Titans took full advantage when senior Libby Cucklers shot high past redshirt sophomore Alyssa Edwards to give UDM a 1-0 lead.
Already with a women-up opportunity, Garrett’s movement toward the crease was stopped by a high hit from a Titan’s defender, which sent Garrett to the eight-meter arc for a free position shot. Garrett scored her first goal of the day with 10:42 remaining in the first quarter to even the score.
Edwards’ second save in her seven-save performance led directly to the Penguins’ next goal. After the save, UDM briefly controlled the ground ball before junior Mackenzie Flannigan forced a turnover, picked it up at her own 30-yard line and carried it nearly the length of the field to assist Garrett’s second goal.
The Penguins closed out the first quarter with another free position goal, this time from freshman Maya Griffin. Griffin got the second quarter started with another free position goal to cap off a 4-0 scoring run that extended the Penguins’ lead to 4-1.
After nearly eight minutes of scoreless play, Detroit Mercy’s leading goalscorer, senior Alyssa Jarvis, used a high fake and shot low to find the back of the net. However, it would be the only goal the Titans scored for the remainder of the quarter.
Garrett completed her hat trick at the 3:46 mark of the second quarter with help from Flannigan. Flannigan, who set a new single-season program record with 44 ground balls, picked up her fifth of the game and found Garrett in space as UDM was caught in transition.
The final defender forced Garrett to her right, but her cross-body shot found the top left of the net to extend the lead to 5-2. YSU closed out the first half with a free position goal from Baenziger.
Freshman Kendyll Jerry scored her first collegiate goal 90 seconds into the third quarter off of junior Gwen Bogash’s pass from behind the net.
Over the next 10 minutes, the Penguins added four more goals, while conceding only two. Baenziger scored the team’s eighth goal with a diving overhand shot. Bogash drew in three Titan defenders with her move towards the middle of the crease, which left Brooks open on the outside for a quick shot and goal to extend the lead to 9-3.
Brooks added another goal with 4:13 remaining in the third quarter. After dishing out two assists, Bogash got on the scoresheet with a goal during a woman-up opportunity. Jarvis converted on a free position shot for the Titans, but the deficit remained significant.
In the fourth quarter, the Penguins added four more goals, including one from Brooks to complete her hat trick. The Titans scored their highest total of the game in the final period, but it was not enough, as YSU improved to .500 in conference play.
The Penguins next stop took them to Pittsburgh to face out-of-conference opponent Duquesne University on April 8 where they won 13-11. Baenziger matched her season high with four goals and one assist to lead the Penguins in their first back-to-back wins this season. The Penguins will return to MAC play on Farmers National Bank Field April 11 when they face Central Michigan University. First draw is set for noon and will be streamed on YouTube.