Top Two Seeds to Battle for Women's Lacrosse Tournament Title
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - (TOURNAMENT PAGE) - The top two seeds in the 2023 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Women's Lacrosse Tournament emerged from their respective semifinal games to advance to the championship on Saturday, April 22.
No. 1 Lawrence Tech handled No. 3 Indiana Tech 20-6 for its league-high sixth appearance in the tournament final. The Blue Devils got six goals from Gabi Mitchell Bella Burke had eight draw controls and four ground balls.
Second-seeded Aquinas eliminated No. 3 Marian 16-10 for its first trip back to the finals since the inaugural tournament in 2013. The Saints got five goals from Trinity Reynoso and Azariah Wells made 11 saves.
Aquinas travels to Lawrence Tech on Saturday to face the Blue Devils for the right to represent the WHAC at the NAIA National Championship. The Saints are looking for their first tournament title while LTU seeks to make it five.
#1 Lawrence Tech (13-1) def. #4 Indiana Tech (10-5), 20-6
Indiana Tech scored first just 24 seconds into the first period on an unassisted goal by Da'Zah Regusters only to see Lawrence Tech score the next four goals sparked by a pair of goals by Sydney Robinson. At the end of the period, 11 goals were scored between the two teams with LTU leading 7-4. Lawrence Tech then went on a rampage, scoring eight goals in the second while stifling the Warriors for a 15-4 lead at the half.
The Blue Devils put five more in the cage in the third as Hannah Huebner scored a pair while keeping Indiana Tech off the board for a 20-4 lead before allowing the Warriors to score twice in the fourth quarter. LTU won 22 draw controls to Indiana Tech's six and outshot the Warriors 39-18.
Stat Leaders
Goals: Gabi Mitchell 6 (LTU); Halli Reinhard, Abbey Wilson 2 (IT)
Assists: Several 2 (LTU)
GB: Bella Burke 4 (LTU); Sydney Oberdorfer 3 (IT)
DC: Bella Burke 8 (LTU); Da'Zah Regusters 2 (IT)
CT: Bella Burke 4 (LTU); Abbey Wilson 2 (IT)
Saves: Anabelle Acluche 9 (LTU); Sydney Oberdorfer 7 (IT)
#2 Aquinas (12-2) def. #3 Marian (12-5), 16-10
Aquinas got on the scoreboard first with a free position goal by Cierra Davis midway through the first quarter and took a 2-0 lead 54 seconds later. The Saints scored three more times while holding Marian to just two shots in the opening stanza. Ella Grace Giedd opened the second quarter with a goal for Marian less than a minute in before Davis connected on another free position shot to keep AQ up 6-1. The teams traded goals and by the end of the half, Aquinas still held its five-point lead at 9-4.
Marian scored in the opening 11 seconds of the third behind a Grace Martin goal to pull to within three. Aquinas answered with four goals in the quarter while holding the Knights to the single goal. Marian made a run in the fourth outscoring AQ 5-3 but it was too little too late as the Saints walked away with the 16-10.
Stat Leaders
Goals: Trinity Reynoso 5 (AQ); Ruby Mason 3 (MU)
Assists: Kennadie Minerich 4 (AQ); Several 1 (MU)
GB: Alexis Villarini 7 (AQ); Katherine Hirsch 6 (MU)
DC: Ashlynn Gray 5 (MU); Carli Taylor 4 (AQ)
CT: Madeline Dumke 5 (MU); Alexis Villarini 4 (AQ)
Saves: Azariah Wells 11 (AQ); Katherine Hirsch 9 (MU)