2017 GLIAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament Central
BAY CITY, Mich. -- The stage for the 2017 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Women's Lacrosse Tournament Semifinals is set with quarterfinal action wrapping up on Tuesday evening as Tiffin and Indianapolis advanced to the weekend portion of the conference tournament hosted by Grand Valley State beginning Friday (May 5).
Top-seeded Grand Valley State captured its fifth conference title capturing at least a share of the conference crown in all five years of GLIAC Lacrosse since its inception back in 2013. This is No. 2 seed McKendree's first conference title as the Bearcats are affiliate members in the emerging sport. Both teams received first-round byes and automatically advance to Friday's. The GLIAC Tournament title match will be held on Sunday (May 7) in Allendale.
GVSU and Tiffin will match-up in the 5 PM semifinal on Friday as the Dragons were the lone conference opponent to beat the Lakers in 2017. The second matchup will feature McKendree battling UIndy at 8:00 PM.
TIFFIN 17, LAKE ERIE 7 | BOX SCORE
Courtesy of Tiffin Sports Information
Tiffin University (12-5) wasted little time taking charge in their GLIAC Quarterfinal game against Lake Erie, scoring early and often en route to a 17-7 victory.
The win sends TU to the GLIAC Final Four at Grand Valley State, where they will take on the top-seeded Lakers on Friday.
Against the Storm, TU used a huge 19-6 advantage on draw controls, including 9-3 in the first half, to sprint to the victory. TU scored 7 of the first 8 goals to take a commanding 7-1 lead with 13:36 left in the first half.
Five different Dragons scored in that opening stretch, with Elle Hamilton and Tori Nelson netting 2 goals each. Amanda Flotteron, Elle MacMillan, and Morgan Sherley also scored.
Leading 8-3 at the break, the Dragons ripped off five more goals early in the second half to take a 14-4 lead and never looked back.
Overall TU held a 26-19 shot advantage, including 14-8 in the second half, while also getting 11 ground balls to Lake Erie's 8.
Nelson had a strong game, scoring 4 goals with an assist while also grabbing 7 draws. Hamilton also won 6 draws while totaling 3 goals.
Sherley had 2 goals and 3 assists, Flotteron had 2 goals and an assist, MacMillan scored twice, and Gina Abulone had a goal and 2 assists. Maddy Batley had 2 goals while Jillian Jacobs also scored.
Kat Schneeberger got the win in goal, allowing 5 goals and making 4 saves in 53 minutes, while Amanda Archer played 7 minutes and allowed 2 goals.
INDIANAPOLIS 13, FINDLAY 7 | BOX SCORE
Courtesy of UIndy Sports Information
UIndy women's lacrosse stifled Findlay University Tuesday evening, advancing to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals with a 13-7 victory inside Key Stadium.
The Greyhounds (13-4) employed a pesky defense against the Oilers (7-11), causing 12 of Findlay's 18 turnovers - led by redshirt-freshman Lauren Wagner's five CTs - and keeping the visitors scoreless during one 20-plus-minute stretch of game time.
It marked the fifth straight game the nation's eighth-best scoring defense held an opponent to seven goals or less.
Offensively, senior Chalane Morrison again proved to be the catalyst, totaling eight points with four goals and as many assists. Freshman Grace Gunneson (three goals) and sophomore Hannah Burczyk (two goals, one assist) each finished with three points.
After more than six minutes of scoreless action, UIndy broke the scoring seal with two quick goals. Burczyk delivered the first on a free position score, and Morrison notched her first less than a minute later.
Much as they had in Sunday's regular season finale, the Oilers went step-for-step the Hounds in the opening period. An early hat trick by Findlay's Allison Kelly helped keep the visitors in the contest.
Sophomore Hana Priddy scored a man-up goal on Morrison's first assist with a little less than 18 minutes on the clock, but over the next few possessions the Oilers took their first lead of the evening, 4-3. Findlay grabbed five of the game's first seven draw controls to help its cause.
Findlay's fourth goal came right under the 16-minute mark, but its fifth wouldn't come until almost five minutes into the second period. UIndy began dominating the draw control – finishing the half by possessing six of the last seven – and ultimately ran off five unanswered to take the lead for good.
Morrison had two during the stretch, while Gunneson, Burczyk and senior Erika Mackenzie each added one of their own, making it 8-4 at the half.
The Hounds would make it six straight with Gunneson's goal to open the second half before Findlay finally put an end to the drought with Ciara Burud's score, making it 9-5. Findlay wouldn't get any closer, as UIndy surrendered only two more scores while adding four more of its own for good measure.
The Oilers finished the game with 18 turnovers and only 12 shots, compared to 10 and 32 for the Hounds, respectively. Ground balls were split at an even 17 apiece, but the Hounds wound up with 14 of 22 draw controls.
Sophomore Irene Carlquist improved to 5-0 this season, turning aside two shots in nearly 57 minutes in-goal.
