Marquette Downs Butler for First BIG EAST Win

MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University women's lacrosse team picked up its first BIG EAST win after a career game from Grace Gabriel on Saturday afternoon as the team downed Butler, 16-3, at Valley Fields.

Marquette (7-7, 1-1 BIG EAST) was led by Gabriel's career-high seven points on the day, as she recorded five goals and two assists. Shea Garcia and Charlotte McGuire each notched hat tricks in the win, while eight total Golden Eagles put tallies on the board.

Cate Soccodato tallied three assists on the day while Erin Dowdle led the defensive unit with five ground balls. Thirty-one Marquette players saw action in today's contest.

Marquette opened up the game on a three-goal scoring run, sparked by McGuire's goal just under 2 minutes into play. It gave the team the lead it would never surrender.

Butler (3-10, 0-2 BIG EAST) didn't score until the 8:25 mark of the first frame, and followed up with its second tally with less than 1 minute to go in that half. Marquette goalkeeper Jules Horning made six of her eight saves in the opening 30 minutes alone on 12 first-half Butler shots.

Marquette's defense allowed just one goal in the second half, coming on a free-position shot at the 27:08 mark. The Golden Eagles would follow up with a 7-0 streak, as Megan Menzuber's goal with 15:31 to play instituted the 10-goal lead running clock rule for Marquette to finish out the game.

Marquette owned the edge on shots 42-19, collected 24 ground balls to Butler's 19 and won the draw control circle, 16-4. Gabriel's five draw controls gave her 100 on the season, just seven shy of the single-season program record she set just last season.

The Bulldogs were led by Holly Hall with a goal, a ground ball and a draw control.

The Golden Eagles continue conference play at Old Dominion on Saturday, April 13 at Noon Central time.