Lawrence Tech Three-Peats as Women's Lacrosse Tournament Champs
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - (TOURNAMENT PAGE) - In a battle between two of the NAIA's Top 10 teams, Lawrence Tech defeated Aquinas 22-7 to win its third consecutive Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Women's Lacrosse Tournament. It's the fifth tournament title for LTU and the Blue Devils swept the season having also won the regular-season championship with an undefeated 9-0 season.
LTU scored the first three goals to start the game as Mari Pellman, Gabi Mitchell, and Bella Burke all found the cage . Aquinas answered with back-to-back goals only to see the Blue Devils match the tally two minutes later. After trading goals, Lawrence Tech bookended the quarter with another three-goal run for a 9-4 lead.
Lawrence Tech scored five unaswered goals in the second quarter and held the Saints to just two scores to expand the lead to 15-6 at the half. LTU's defense took over in the second half, allowing just one Aquinas goal that came in the third from McKenna Burke. LTU's offense continued to fire and finished by outshooting the Saints 34-25.
Mitchell scored a game-high six goals while Bella Burke added five, three in the first quarter, in LTU's win. Sydney Robinson and Hannah Huebner combined for eight assists and Anabelle Acluche led LTU with five ground balls and recorded 15 saves.
Aquinas got two goals each from Shaylin Rings, McKenna Burke, and Kennadie Minerich. Rings has the Saints' lone assist while Carli Taylor grabbed four ground balls and caused five turnovers. Azariah Wells recorded six saves in the loss as Aquinas falls to 12-2.
Lawrence Tech, 13-1, earns the leagues automatic berth to the NAIA Women's Lacrosse National Championship May 3-6 where the Blue Devils also serve as host.
All-Time Tournament Champions (seed)
2013: (1) Indiana Tech
2014: (1) Davenport
2015: (1) Davenport
2016: (3) Lawrence Tech
2017: No Tournament
2018: (2) Lawrence Tech
2019: (1) Indiana Tech
2020: No Tournament - COVID
2021: (3) Lawrence Tech
2022: (1) Lawrence Tech
2023: (1) Lawrence Tech