WLAX Posts 22-9 Road Win Over Detroit Mercy

Box Score (PDF)

PONTIAC, Michigan — The Marquette University women's lacrosse team (2-3, 0-0 BIG EAST) used a dominant offensive performance to earn its first road win of the season, defeating Detroit Mercy 22-9 on Friday afternoon at the UWM Sports Complex in Pontiac, Michigan.

The Golden Eagles came just one goal shy of tying the program's all-time single game record for goals in a match, as four different MU players scored four or more goals in the contest.

The Golden Eagles got off to a strong start and never looked back in their first road win of the season, starting the contest on a 6-1 run, four of its first six goals scored by senior forward Shea Garcia. It took Garcia less than half a quarter to register her third hat trick of the young season, and she would go on to finish with a career-high six goals on seven shot attempts, as well as two assists.

After taking a 7-3 lead into the first quarter break, the scoring onslaught continued as MU netted eight more in the second quarter. Freshman attacker/midfielder Elise Smigiel scored the first goal of her collegiate career early in the quarter, and followed it up with another just moments later.

With a running clock for much of the second half, the Golden Eagle offense slowed, but the Titans were held to just two goals in the final two quarters as Marquette secured the 22-9 victory.

Entering the game as the league's top facilitator, junior attacker Mary Schumar continued her stellar start to the season as she recorded a career-high five assists. Graduate forward Kyra LaMotte had her finest statistical game in a Marquette uniform, finding the net five times on seven shots, while senior midfielder Lydia Foust also registered a season-best four goals.

The Titans (0-3, 0-0 MAC) were led by Cat Kopchia, who had four goals and an assist in the contest.

NOTABLE:

With the win, the Golden Eagles now lead the all-time series with Detroit Mercy 7-0.
MU used a pair of 5-0 runs in the first half to build a 12-3 edge with 9:47 left in the second quarter. It led 15-7 at the half.
The Golden Eagles held a 27-10 edge in shots during the first half, and finished with a 38-17 advantage.
Graduate forward Kyra LaMotte, who scored 60 goals last season at Furman, posted a season-high five on Friday. She had four goals in the first half.
Shea Garcia had scored a career-best five goals by halftime. She finished with six goals and a pair of assists, the best scoring output by a Marquette player this season.
Garcia's six goals were just one shy of tying the Marquette single-game program record.
Junior defender Ellie Henry had a game-high and career-high 10 draw controls.
Mary Schumar, who had five assists, entered the game leading the BIG EAST in assists (2.0 per game), which was also 23rd in NCAA Division I.
MU won 23-of-34 draws on Friday. It entered the game averaging 18.5 draw controls per game, good for eighth nationally.
Freshman midfielder Hanna Bodner saw her first collegiate action and also netted the first goal of her career, scoring MU's final goal with 1:49 left in the fourth.
Samantha Galvin and Caroline Blandford each scored their first goals of the season as well.
This was the first time since 3/4/20 that Marquette had three players score four or more goals in the same contest.
This was the first time since 3/11/20 that Marquette had two players score five or more goals in the same contest.

UP NEXT: Friday's contest was game four of a six-game road trip for the Golden Eagles, who will head to Canisius and Niagara next week before returning to Milwaukee for a March 12 matchup with Kent State.

Keep up with the Marquette women's lacrosse program all season long through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteWLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteWLax) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteWLax).