LIVONIA, Mich. – Emily Johnson (SR/Grandville, Mich.) scored with 5:11 left for her fifth goal of the season, one behind Samantha Schwartz (FR/Oxford, Mich.) for the team lead, as Madonna University women's lacrosse fell to Aquinas College 17-2 on Saturday afternoon at the Madonna Athletics Complex.

The Crusaders fall to 0-6 in their first season and 0-4 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference action while the Saints, who received votes in the latest NAIA Coaches' Poll, improve to 3-4 on the season and 2-3 in league play.

It was a promising start, despite the cold and dreary day, as Katie Larabell (SO/Novi, Mich.) answered an early Aquinas goal to tie the score at 1-1 just two minutes into the contest. However, the visitors from Grand Rapids, Michigan scored the next 16 goals, which included five in the second half, to seal the Crusaders' fate. Johnson's goal was the final tally of the contest and accounted for the final margin.

Madonna goalkeeper Stephanie Mackley (SR/Livonia, Mich.) posted 17 saves and faced 47 shots on the day while the Crusaders tallied one more clear than the Saints.

The MU offense put up 11 shots led by four from Sarah Carlson (SR/Romulus, Mich.). Johnson had a goal on three shots to go with two ground balls and a pair of draw controls while Larabell was 1-for-1 with two ground balls and a caused turnover.

A trip to Grand Rapids awaits the Crusaders on Sunday, March 26 as they travel west to face fourth-ranked Davenport University at 1 p.m. Live coverage of the game will be available at madonnacrusaders.com/live via the Davenport Athletics Network.

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