By Marissa Masano / The Jambar
For the first time since 2022, the Youngstown State University women’s lacrosse team defeated Robert Morris University on March 19. The victory also marks the team’s first Mid-American Conference win, as well as its first overall and road win of the season.
Head Coach Liza Oakley earned her first career win in her debut season with the Penguins, which also marks her first victory as a collegiate head coach.
In her third consecutive multi-goal game, sophomore Claire Baenziger netted two goals en route to a 5-4 victory.
Three days later, the Penguins had their biggest test yet against Big 12 Conference opponent Cincinnati University on March 22.
YSU controlled the opening draw and went to work in the attacking zone with freshman Molly Brooks finding Baenziger at the top of the 12-meter fan, where she drove past two Colonial defenders and found the back of the net at the 13:49 mark to give YSU an early 1-0 advantage.
Both sides traded empty possessions through the middle portion of the quarter, and with just over four minutes remaining in the first quarter, redshirt sophomore Alyssa Edwards made her first free-position save to preserve the Penguins’ lead.
RMU received a woman-up opportunity in an offensive chance for the Penguins, as senior Ally Garret was awarded a free-position shot after being sandwiched by two Colonial defenders while driving into the goal crease.
Garret’s opportunity was spoiled as a Colonial defender dislodged the ball from her stick before she could shoot, which resulted in a scrum inside the eight-meter arc and a yellow card issued to the Penguins.
The Colonials capitalized on the two-player advantage and evened the score with 2:54 left in the quarter.
With under a minute remaining, freshman Alexis Kreutzer caused a Colonial turnover as RMU attempted to clear the ball and scooped it up, finding Baenziger on the perimeter of the eight-meter arc. Baenziger was fouled on her drive across the face of goal and converted the free-position shot to regain a 2-1 lead into the second quarter.
Both teams were shutout in the third-quarter, and Edwards recorded a pair of free-position stops.
YSU secured the draw control coming out of halftime, and Kreutzer found Brooks on an inward cut. Her quick release found the top-right corner of the goal to make the score 3-1 within the first 40 seconds of the third quarter.
Less than a minute later, the Colonials answered with a shot that struck Edwards, but its momentum carried it over the goal line to cut the deficit to one.
The Penguins responded as Brooks earned herself a free-position shot, but the ball was knocked out of her stick on the shot attempt. The loose ball bounced into the stick of freshman Lilly Mattucci, who found the back of the net to push the lead to 4-2.
RMU scored the next two goals, including the equalizer. The Colonials converted a free-position opportunity during a woman-up situation to make it 4-3, and on their next possession, a bouncing shot slipped past Edwards to tie the game into the final quarter.
With 9:41 remaining, senior Ava Kreutzer scored her lone goal of the contest to give the Penguins a 5-4 lead. She was able to shoot over two Colonial defenders to net the eventual game-winning score.
Edwards preserved the Penguins’ lead with a free-position save with 7:17 left in the contest. With under a minute remaining, RMU called a timeout to set up a play in the attacking zone. A high pass that sailed over a Colonial player’s head resulted in the final turnover the Penguins needed to secure their first victory of the season.
The Penguins then traveled to Nippert Stadium to face the Bearcats of University of Cincinnati. YSU was defeated 22-3, with Baenziger scoring all three of the Penguins’ goals. Despite the loss, this marked the sophomore’s fourth-straight multi-goal game and her fourth performance this season with at least three goals.
YSU remained on the road and faced the University of Pittsburgh on March 24. The Penguins will return home March 28 to resume MAC play against Kent State University.
The contest against the Flashes will be streamed live on YouTube, with the first draw set for noon.
