(LEBANON, Ill., May 3) – The McKendree University lacrosse team advanced to the semifinal round of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament after an 18-11 victory over the University of Indianapolis in their quarterfinal match.   

The win bumps the Bearcats up to 9-9 overall.

McKendree will take on Grand Valley State in the semifinal round Friday in Allendale, MI at a time to be determined.

The Bearcats were led offensively by sophomore Dana DiPasquale (St. Charles, Mo./Barat Academy) who netted a pair of goals and handed out a game high five assists. Junior Bree Suter (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) tallied a trio of goals along with sophomore Mia Fiore (Eureka, Mo./Eureka High School) and freshman Hannah Sugarman (Holden, Mass./Wachusett Regional High School) and Emily Nelson (Deephaven, Minn./Holy Family Catholic). Senior Rianne Holzmeyer (Hazelwood, Mo./Hazelwood West) and sophomore Paige Salthouse (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy) each added a pair of goals for McKendree.
Junior net minder Amy Porta (Ellisville, Mo./Marquette) made nine saves for the Bearcats.

Holzmeyer got McKendree on the board putting the Bearcats up 1-0 just 27 seconds into the game before opening a 6-1 run. The Greyhounds bounced back with a goal to cut the lead to four, but McKendree reeled off four straight goals to push ahead 10-2 with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half. Indianapolis hung tough and was able to tally the final three goals of the half to cut the Bearcats lead to five at the break.

Sugarman and Fiore open the second half scoring to put McKendree up by seven. The Greyhounds countered with a 6-1 run to trim the Bearcats lead to just two with 9:31 remaining. McKendree found the back of the net twice in 30 seconds to halt the momentum and the Bearcats went on to score five straight goals to close the game and secure the victory.