Lacrosse snaps three-game win streak against Kennesaw
The rain and snow of the Michigan weather could not help Central Michigan lacrosse against Kennesaw State.
The Chippewas (5-5, 1-0 SoCon) fell to the Owls (3-7) by a score of 14-11 — snapping their three-game win-streak.
“Today was crappy but at the same time this is not the first time we’ve played in it,” said CMU head coach Sara Tisdale. “They’re from Atlanta, Georgia and they’re not used to playing in this so we should have the advantage.”
Central Michigan and Kennesaw State exchanged early goals before a slashing Izzy Palermo cut to the net and scored giving the Owls a 2-1 lead.
KSU was poised to take the lead on a free-position shot but goalie Dominique Hamman made a big save allowing Emma Hamilton to score in transition to tie the game with 22:46 left to play in the first half.
The Chippewas and Kennesaw State continued to exchange goals — scoring three each over the next 10 minutes of play keeping the game tied at 5-5.
With less than 10 minutes remaining in the half, Owls freshman Siena Gore scored her third goal to retake the lead and then Haley Swift gave KSU the first two-goal lead by either team with a free-position goal.
With 1:34 remaining in the first half, Natalie Karlen scored her second goal of the afternoon to draw CMU back within one before halftime.
“We needed to come out and execute,” Tisdale said. “Kennesaw just wanted it more.”
Kennesaw State opened the second half with a goal from Gore before Connor Zophy added two goals and Anna Guilitto scored giving the Owls the largest lead of the game so far at 11-6.
Anna Schoonover stopped KSU’s scoring run at five after scoring her second goal of the afternoon with 16:13 remaining in the game, but Zophy would score once again for Kennesaw State.
After another Kennesaw State goal, Schoonover scored again to complete the hat-trick keeping Central Michigan within five.
Shannon Doyle would go on to score three goals late for the Chippewas but the Owls lead would prove to be too much to overcome as KSU would leave Mount Pleasant with a victory.
“We just got outhustled and outworked,” Tisdale said. “Unfortunate that we didn’t control what we could control.”
Doyle led all CMU scorers with four goals. Schoonover scored a hattrick while Hamilton and Karlen each finished with two goals.
Hamman finished with nine saves allowing 13 goals and in relief Hope Murray made one save allowing one goal.
Central Michigan will return to action at 5 p.m. on Friday hosting Howard at the CMU Lacrosse Complex.
