Behind a career-high six goals from senior attack Shea Garcia and an offensive explosion, the Marquette women’s lacrosse team got back in the win column Friday afternoon defeating Detroit Mercy 22-9.
Head coach Meredith Black’s squad came just one goal shy of tying the program’s all-time single game record for goals in a match.
After trading early goals with the Titans in the first quarter, the Golden Eagles got hot on offense with a 5-0 run, which was fueled by four goals from Garcia, to head into the second quarter up 7-3.
The momentum continued in the second frame as Marquette opened up the second quarter with a 5-0 run, which included two goals from first-year attacker/midfielder Elsie Smigiel. It was Smigiel’s first two goals of her collegiate career.
Then the Titans would respond with scoring three of the next four goals, two coming from sophomore Cat Kopchia to bring the deficit to 13-6.
Marquette added to its cushion down the stretch in the first half, adding two goals from senior midfielder Lydia Foust to head into halftime up 15-7.
Both teams combined for four goals, two a piece, in the opening five minutes of the third quarter.
That would be as close as the Titans would get to the Golden Eagles, as Marquette added on two more in the frame from Garcia and graduate student transfer Kyra LaMotte.
Detroit Mercy would add two goals in the winding seconds of the fourth quarter but it would not be enough as Marquette walked away with a dominant 22-9 victory.
Garcia led the way for Marquette on the afternoon with six goals and a pair of assists.
LaMotte added a season-high five goals herself, while Foust finished with four goals and an assist.
It is the first time since March 4, 2020 that Marquette had three players score four or more goals in a single contest. Additionally, it is the first time since March 11, 2020 that the Golden Eagles had two players score five or more goals in the same game.
Junior attacker Mary Shumar, who leads the BIG EAST with 2.0 assists per game, finished with five assists in the match.
Graduate student goalkeeper Amanda Rumsey only made two saves on nine shots faced.
Marquette (2-3) will have a week between games before its next game March 4 agains Canisius University at 3 p.m. CST.
This story was written by Jackson Gross. He can be reached through email at [email protected] or on Twitter @JacksonGrossMU.
