(LEBANON, Ill., April 15)—The McKendree University women's lacrosse team closed out the home portion of its 2018 season with a 21-10 loss Sunday at Leemon Field against Grand Valley State University.
 
The visiting Lakers -- ranked No. 13 in the latest Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll – broke open a close contest by scoring the first six goals of the second half to pull away. McKendree moved to 5-9 overall and 3-4 in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with Sunday's result. The Bearcats posted a 4-3 record at Leemon Field this season.
 
Prior to Sunday's match, the Bearcats honored four seniors appearing in their final home contest at McKendree: Dana DiPasquale (St. Charles, MO/Barat Academy), Taylor Hartwick (Bentonville, AR/Pattonville), Paige Salthouse (St. Louis, MO/Ursuline Academy) and Mia Fiore (Eureka, MO/Eureka High School). The quartet combined for five goals against Grand Valley State. Salthouse and Fiore each found the back of the net twice, while DiPasquale added a goal. Junior attacker Hannah Sugarman (Holden, MA/Wachusett Regional) led the Bearcats with three goals on Sunday.
 
DiPasquale scored the first goal of the afternoon to give McKendree a 1-0 advantage, Grand Valley State (10-4, 8-1 GLIAC) then scored twice in a 21-second span to take its first lead of the day at 2-1. Sophomore attacker Kayla Smith (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon Township) scored a free position attempt to help the Bearcats draw even before Sugarman added her first goal of the day to provide a 3-2 lead for Mckendre with just over 21 minutes left in the opening half.
 
The Lakers then scored five of the next six goals to build an 8-4 advantage before Salthouse posted her first goal with just 1:01 left in the opening half to help the Bearcats pull within 8-5 at the break. Grand Valley State then opened the second half with its decisive run of six straight goals. Salthouse ended the Bearcats' drought at the 16:32 mark to get McKendree within 15-8. Fiore then tallied both of her goals before Sugarman closed out the Bearcats' scoring for the afternoon with just under three minutes to play.