By Cameron Stubbs
The Youngstown State University lacrosse team hit the road for its latest two games against the University of Detroit Mercy and Central Michigan University.
The game versus the Flames ended in an overtime win for the Penguins for the second time this season. Freshman Natalie Calandra-Ryan scored the overtime goal to secure the 10-9 victory for the Penguins.
Graduate student Ali Korin led the team with three goals, all coming in the third quarter. Calandra-Ryan and sophomore Erin Clark contributed two goals each while freshman Molly Sheridan also tallied a goal of her own.
Sophomores Tristen Chang and Lauren Ottensmeyer also scored one goal each in the third quarter to contribute to the 5-0 run. This run solidified the win as the Penguins went on to score two more in the fourth quarter to make it a 7-2 run.
Graduate-student goalie Savannah Clarke played the entire game in the net with 16 saves on 25 shots.
Against the Chippewas, the Penguins were in their natural habitat as the snow came down in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The ’Guins slid into an 11-10 win as Korin led the team with five goals, followed by Calandra-Ryan with four.
Coming from Auburn, New York, Calandra-Ryan said she felt like she was in her element.
“It honestly wasn’t that bad,” Calandra-Ryan said. “Being from upstate New York, you’re kind of used to it already. Just having come down more and more, you just had to deal with it once [we] got adapted to it.”
With two games left in the season, Calandra-Ryan also commented on what the team expects from the remaining games.
“I’m expecting we’re going to work our hardest and despite the outcome we’re going to have a great time doing whatever we’ve got to do.”
The Penguins face off against Kent State University on April 23 for the last home game of the regular season. Following that is a road game against Robert Morris University on April 30 to close out the season.
