A busy week was at hand for the NMU Women’s Lacrosse team, and it went less-than-stellar with the team dropping all three of its contests and fourth game in-a-row overall. The Wildcats opened the week with a rematch against the Concordia University St. Paul (CSP) Golden Bears and fell in a spirited match 20-11. Games against Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and Davenport University (DU) would not finish as close, as NMU lost decisively by margins of 21-3 and 16-3.
Entering the twilight of its season, the Wildcats have little room to slip up as the GLIAC playoffs open soon with only the top-six teams in the conference earning an invitation to the tournament. NMU currently resides in seventh-place, one game back of Ashland University.
The ’Cats started the week against a red-hot CSP team that was fresh off of a victory over NMU the game before, and is scaling toward the top of the conference. For NMU, it was its first home game in three weeks and a perfect opportunity to gain control of its season. Unfortunately for the ’Cats, the rough road was just about to start.
The match started scoreless through the first seven minutes of the game until the Golden Bears finally jumped up on the scoresheet. NMU was quick to respond off the stick of sophomore midfielder Bianca Kinder after she was fed a pass from junior midfielder Graison Ringlever. The assist was monumental for Ringlever, her 100th career point, making her the first to achieve the mark in NMU Women’s Lacrosse history.
Ringlever added her first goal of the night a few minutes later, puting the Wildcats up 2-1 with 21 minutes to play in the first half. CSP would go on a small scoring spree by adding three goals and retaking the lead.
Freshman midfielder Jessica Daniels quieted the CSP attack after converting a free-position shot to pull NMU within a goal. After the Wildcats conceded two goals, freshman attack/midfielder Emily Renfrew scored on another free-position shot for the ’Cats who again clawed their way back into the game.
Offensively stifled for much of the closing minutes of the first half, NMU saw its deficit again begin to grow as it went into the half trailing 12-6 after CSP scored the closing goal with just 15 seconds remaining.
Ringlever found the back of the net early for the Wildcats to start the second half just 50 seconds in. Renfrew would go on to score again for her 17th goal of the season before CSP used another goal streak, this time four-goals, to grow its lead to 17-8.
With 12 minutes to go, sophomore attack/midfielder Tess Kostelec added a goal before Ringlever added another, as the ’Cats looked to pounce on the possible Golden Bears fatigue. That wouldn’t be the case, however, as the guests added two more goals and put the game out of reach, finishing with a score of 20-11.
Ringlever led the offense for the Wildcats, scoring five goals while inching closer to the 100-career goals plateau, sitting at 92 in her career. In goal, freshman Cam Stilson notched a career-high of 18 saves.
The ’Cats had an opportunity to notch a win two days later with a matchup against the second-place GVSU Lakers in Allendale. Things never fell into place for the Wildcats, however, who went on to drop the match by a wide 21-3 margin.
Three Wildcats scored in the game, however, only one of those players would find the back of the net in the first half. The Lakers jumped out to a tremendous lead to start the game before Renfrew added the lone Wildcat tally of the first half, her 20th goal of the season. At halftime, NMU trailed 14-1.
Kostelec opened the scoring in the second half and Ringlever would also score, but it was too much GVSU as NMU dropped the contest 21-3.
NMU committed 13 turnovers while only collecting 12 ground balls to GVSU’s 26.
Looking to turn things around, the Wildcats loaded the bus en route for a match against the DU Panthers, a team only two-points ahead of NMU in the conference.
A busy week may be at fault as the Wildcats continued their first half struggles into the match. After only scoring one goal against GVSU, NMU left the scoresheet with a goose-egg after being unable to convert any of their offensive opportunities and trailed 12-0 at halftime.
The second half opened new opportunities for the Wildcats with goals by Ringlever, Daniels and freshman attacker Marina Wilson, her first goal this season.
The achilles heel again for NMU was its turnover ratio, losing 22 balls compared to DU’s 13 and as a result dropped the match 16-3.
NMU’s long week continues with a match against the GLIAC-leading Indianapolis University Greyhounds at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, from the Superior Dome. The ’Cats conclude its season at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, on Senior Night against Ashland University.
