A rivalry game with high conference stakes behind it was the story on Sunday, April 14, as the Eastern Michigan University women's lacrosse team faced off against Central Michigan University at Scicluna Field in Ypsilanti, Mich.
The battle was for first place in the Mid-American Conference standings as both teams entered the matchup with perfect 3-0 records through MAC play. The Chippewas won the battle and first place in the standings as they defeated the Eagles, 16-7.
Redshirt freshman Kelsea Dague (Lancaster, Pa.) led the Eagles offensively as she finished with four goals on the day. Sophomore Kyleigh Dill (Dover, Del.) added one goal and one assist, while sophomores Abby and Amber Alderman (Lubsy, Md.) each chipped in one goal.
Abby Alderman got things started for the Eagles early on as she drilled in her lone goal of the game in the first quarter with 13:46 left in the period. CMU would answer back with four unanswered goals to close out the first quarter with a 4-1 lead.
EMU responded to the drought as Dague knocked in her first goal of the day to begin the second quarter to cut the deficit to 4-2. The Chippewas went on another run and scored three unanswered goals to take a 7-2 advantage with 9:23 left in the second quarter.
Dague then scored her second of the day with 7:53 left to cut the deficit to 7-3, but CMU closed out the half on a 3-0 run to take a 10-3 lead into halftime.
The Eagles would be the first to score out of the break as Dague notched her third goal of the day off an assist from sophomore Mackenzie Blackwell (North Beach, Md.). CMU then widened its lead, 12-4, after two more goals, but Dague answered back again with her fourth of the day to cut the deficit, 12-5, heading into the fourth quarter.
The Chippewas started to run away with things after starting the fourth quarter with two more goals, but Amber Alderman and Dill would answer back with goals of their own to put the score at 14-7. It wouldn't be enough as CMU added in two more goals before the final buzzer, defeating the Eagles, 16-7.
EMU now falls to 6-5 overall and 3-1 in MAC play as the Chippewas improve to 4-11 overall and 4-0 through the conference so far.
Through four tries so far since its debut, the EMU women's lacrosse team has yet to defeat Central Michigan.
Next up, the Eagles will return to Sciculna Field in Ypsilanti, Mich., as they host Xavier University on Wednesday, April 17. That matchup is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
To stay up to date on the EMU women's lacrosse team, you can visit The Echo's website.
