LEBANON, Ill. - McKendree University women's lacrosse (3-3) hit a hitch this past week, dropping three-straight games after starting off 3-0 this season. The Bearcats fell twice at home and once on the road during the stretch. McKendree as a quick break until they are back in action on March 12 at Lincoln Memorial.
vs. Concordia-St. Paul | February 24
The Friday evening contest was back-and-forth throughout between the Bearcats and Golden Bears as both teams played to tie the game consistently. CSP scored first but junior defender
Olivia Julian fired a goal at the 10:57 mark of the first period to tie it. The Golden Bears then put up three-straight scores to make it a 4-1 deficit for the Bearcats. Graduate attacker
Kat Albrecht scored in the closing seconds of the first quarter to make the CSP lead just two.
In the second, Julian added back-to-back goals in teh first three minutes to knot the game up at 4-4. Concordia then fired two more to reclaim its lead, 6-4. The lead did not last long however, as freshman midfielder Jayan Barnden and senior defender
Molly Muennich both scored, tying it a 6-6. CSP added three more before sophomore attacker
Jenna Sugarman added the final goal of the period to make it 9-7 in favor of the visitor.
McKendree came back to take the lead, 10-9, in the third period with Albrecht scored two and Muennich firing another. CSP scored one in the third quarter to make it all even at 10 goals a piece heading into the fourth quarter.
The Golden Bears added four scores in the period while the Bearcats could muster just a pair via Albrecht and Barnden.
Graduate goalkeeper
Clara Andrews held net with five saves in the game.
vs. Rockhurst | February 26
The Bearcats looked to grab a win in their first road game of the season, traveling to Rockhurst for a non-conference outing.
The Hawks started quickly, scoring two in the opening five minutes of the game. Julian scored the first Bearcat goal, slicing the Hawks' lead in half. RU added a third goal in the latter minutes in the first but McKendree came back with a score by Sugarman with less than 30 seconds left in the quarter. RU led the Bearcats, 3-2, at the conclusion of the period.
McKendree knotted it up at the beginning of the second quarter as Muennich fired a score at the 8:47 mark. Rockhurst put up two more, taking a 5-3 lead but Muennich added her second of the day when the Bearcats were a man up to make it a 5-4 game at the half.
The Bearcats struggled to hold the Hawks' offense as RU scored twice more to hold a three-goal lead. Sugarman fired the final goal of the third quarter, cutting into the Hawks' lead to make it 7-5.
McKendree looked to regain control of the game in the final quarter but the Hawks' struck three times while Albrecht and Julian each tallied one in the period. Rockhurst held off the Bearcats to take the game.
Andrews grabbed seven saves in the contest, playing full time in net.
vs. Maryville | February 28
The Bearcats hosted conference-foe Maryville in a non-conference contest to conclude the month of February stumbling in the home contest.
McKendree struck first with the freshman Barnden to take a 1-0 lead. The Saints fired back with three goals of their own before Julian scored her first of the game, making it 3-2. Maryville fired one more to end the period and lead 4-2.
In the second quarter, the Saints scored seven-straight goals, taking an 11-2 lead. McKendree pushed back with five-straight between the second and third quarters, cutting the lead for Maryville to just four, 11-7. Following the scoring streak by the Bearcats, Maryville six-straight to end the third quarter.
McKendree fired on in the fourth quarter while the Saints managed three more to keep the lead and take the game, 20-8.
Andrews held net with 11 saves on the day.
UP NEXT
McKendree women's lacrosse will make a trip to Lincoln Memorial, Walsh, and Ashland for its next outings. The Bearcats head to LMU on March 12, Walsh on March 14, and Ashland on March 16.
