Hamman sets saves record in lacrosse win against Mercer
In the first game in the Southern Conference, Central Michigan lacrosse came away victorious.
The Chippewas (5-4, 1-0 SoCon) defeated Mercer (3-6, 0-1 SoCon) by a score of 15-13 to win their third consecutive game.
Goalie Dom Hamman set the single-game record for saves by a CMU goalie with 17 saves, breaking her own record of 15.
“Dom will be the first to tell you she has been struggling,” said head coach Sara Tisdale. “What you saw today was a mature Dom, a junior goalie Dom step up in the cage and really do a fantastic job and lead.”
Central Michigan stormed out of the opening faceoff scoring two quick goals. Anna Schoonover scored the Chippewas first goal, then assisted on Jessica Schuchardt’s goal to take a 2-0 lead.
Mercer then shifted the momentum by taking advantage of two free-position shots to tie the game, before scoring their third unanswered goal to take the lead.
The Bears lead did not last long as CMU midfielder Jocelyne Lemay tied the game with an unassisted goal before Tyra Prince scored an unassisted goal to retake the lead.
Central Michigan would then go on to score three more goals highlighted by Schoonover completing the hattrick to take a 7-3 lead.
Mercer scored to cut the lead to just three, but the Chippewas immediately answered with goals from Schoonover and Lemay.
The Bears would refuse to go away as they outscored CMU 3-1 in the late stages of the first half cutting Central Michigan’s lead to 10-7.
“We started to play not to lose,” Tisdale said. “Sometimes we show our age with things like that.”
Mercer opened the second half with a goal but the Chippewas responded immediately with back-to-back goals from Lemay.
Natalie Karlen then scored on a free-position shot for CMU, but the Bears would answer with three straight goals to cut the lead to 13-11.
Karlen halted Mercer’s run by scoring her second straight goal before Tyra Prince scored extending the lead for Central Michigan.
Mercer attempted to make a late push scoring two goals in the final moments of the second half but Hamman made several key saves late to seal the win for the Chippewas.
Lemay and Schoonover each led the Central Michigan with 4 goals each while Karlen pitched in 3 goals.
“First time our program defeated Mercer so that’s huge,” Tisdale said. “They are a good opponent and they never stopped fighting so we are really proud our defense stepped up at the end of the game.”
The Chippewas return to action at 1 p.m. on Saturday to host Kennesaw State.
