INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The McKendree University women's lacrosse team concluded its 2022 season here early Friday afternoon as the Bearcats suffered an 18-4 loss to top-seeded and No. 2 ranked University of Indianapolis in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament held at Key Stadium on the UIndy campus.
 
With the setback, McKendree closes its ninth season of women's lacrosse with an 8-9 overall record with seven of those nine losses coming against nationally-ranked foes. UIndy advances to Sunday's championship game against either No. 2 seeded and eighth-ranked Lindenwood or No. 3 seeded Rockhurst, who play in Friday's other tournament semifinal game.
 
Friday's game was the second one in less than a week for the Bearcats against the Greyhounds as the two teams closed out the 2022 regular season this past Sunday in Lebanon, Ill. In that game, UIndy picked up a 17-2 win.
 
In Friday's rematch, UIndy got on the scoreboard a little more than three minutes into the game on a goal by Peyton Romig.
 
The 'Hounds lead grew to 2-0 with 6:15 left in the opening period as Abigail Lagos scored her 83rd goal of the season, which is second-most among Division II players.
 
McKendree, though, came right back and got on the scoreboard just 47 seconds after Lagos' goal as graduate student midfielder Oriana Johnson (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) scored on a free position shot to cut UIndy's lead to 2-1.
 
The Bearcats would tie the game a little more than four minutes later when junior attacker Kat Albrecht (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) found the goal for her team-leading 64th goal of the season. Albrecht entered Friday's game tied with junior attacker Sydney Tiemann (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) for the team lead in goals with 63.
 
UIndy would retake the lead on a goal with 43 seconds left in the first period by Quinn Malcolm to give the 'Hounds a 3-2 lead. Malcolm's goal came off an assist from Mackenzie Winn.
 
The 'Hounds would dominate the scoring in the second period as they scored five unanswered goals to take an 8-2 lead at the half.
 
UIndy's lead eventually grew to 10-2 in the opening four-plus minutes of the third period thanks to goals by Mekayla Montgomery and Jess Soenen.
 
The Bearcats would stop UIndy's 7-0 scoring run with a goal by Tiemann with 8:47 left in the period to pull the Bearcats within 10-3. Tiemann's goal pushed her back into a tie for the team lead in goals with Albrecht.
 
Tiemann's goal ignited the 'Hounds as they closed the third period by scoring six consecutive goals to take a 16-3 lead heading into the final period.

Albrecht would score the final goal of the game for the Bearcats off an assist by Johnson with 13:18 left in the game to drop UIndy's lead to 16-4. Joey Fowler and Emily Guenther would each score goals in fourth period for UIndy to complete the scoring.
 
Albrecht's goal gave her 65 on the season, which is third most in a single season in school history, while her 85 points this season are sixth on the school's single season chart. In addition, Albrecht holds the school record for career points as she added two more to that tally on Friday and had now recorded 301 points and her 176 career goals are second most in school history.
 
For the game, McKendree was outshot 35-10 and committed 15 turnovers to 10 for UIndy. UIndy also held a 13-6 edge in ground balls in the game.
 
Tiemann led the way in shots for the Bearcats with five, while Albrecht took three and scored on two of them.
 
Sophomore defender Maddie Dalonzo (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) and junior defender Molly Muennich (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) each had two ground balls for the Bearcats, while Muennich also caused two turnovers in the game.
 
UIndy got three goals each from Winn and Malcolm, while Lagos, Fowler and Riley Taylor each had two goals in the win.
 
Junior Clara Andrews (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx Hall) played all 60 minutes between the pipes for the Bearcats and recorded 12 saves and had one ground ball.
 
Audrey Moran and Cassidy King each played a half in goal for the 'Hounds, Moran earned the win a she made one save and allowed two goals, while Cassidy King played the second half and allowed two goals and made two saves.