(ALLENDALE, Mich., March 31)—The McKendree University women's lacrosse team closed out a two-game road trip Saturday afternoon with a 19-13 loss at Grand Valley State, the No. 16-ranked team in the latest Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll.
 
Senior attacker Paige Salthouse (St. Louis, MO/Ursuline Academy) led all players with six goals in Saturday's contest. Senior attacker Dana DiPasquale (St. Charles, MO/Barat Academy) and junior attacker Emily Nelson (Deephaven, MN/Holy Family Catholic) each added two goals for the Bearcats. Nelson also registered a team-leading eight draw controls while picking up six ground balls. Junior midfielder Hannah Sugarman (Holden, MA/Wachusett Regional) matched Nelson with six ground balls against the Lakers.
 
McKendree is now 2-7 overall and 1-3 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Bearcats will return to Leemon Field to begin a five-match home stand on Wednesday with a league contest against the University of Indianapolis. First draw is set for 4 p.m.
 
Grand Valley State (7-2, 5-0 GLIAC) opened Saturday's contest quickly with six goals in the first eight minutes of action to build a 6-0 lead. Salthouse got the Bearcats on the scoreboard with her first tally of the afternoon a little more than 10 minutes into the match. The teams traded goals before the Lakers reeled off five more scores to stretch the margin to 12-2 with 11:45 remaining until halftime.
 
After Grand Valley State pushed its lead to 14-5 at the intermission, McKendree controlled the scoring tempo over the final 30 minutes of play. The Bearcats outscored the Lakers 8-5 in the second half, including two goals each from Salthouse and Nelson.