LIVONIA, Mich. - Coming off of their spring break adventure through Kentucky, the Madonna Crusaders Women's Lacrosse team returned to Michigan for their home opener against yet another Kentucky team, the Thomas More University Saints. In what turned out to be an incredibly close battle, the Crusaders came out on top 14-12, securing their first win of the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Crusaders scored first for the third straight game as Aria Gettel knocked down a penalty shot less than four minutes into the game. After the Saints struck back just a minute later to make it 1-1, Getter weaved her way through the defense and hit Mia Dyson who put it in to give the Crusaders the lead back. The Saints managed to tie it up once again soon after, but the Crusaders would fire right back once again. Jasmine Stringham would sneak a goal in just seconds before the end of the first period, giving Madonna a 3-2 lead after one.

The Crusaders opened up the second period as Dyson would knock down her second goal of the first half. The Saints would score once more before the Crusaders began to run up the lead in the final minutes of the first half. Rianna O'Connor scored her first goal as a Crusader off of an assist from Gettel. Gettel would hear her name called once again just thirty seconds later as she dropped her second goal on the Saints. Less than a minute later, Courtney Hoeland would fire away, scoring her first goal of the season. The Saints would score once more before the buzzer, making it a 7-4 game at the half. 

The Crusaders opened the half with a man-down goal by Dyson on a penalty shot, her third of the day. Gettel would follow Dyson right up with her own third goal of the day, Crusaders still a man down. Their next score would come as Gettel swung a pass to O'Connor who slung it in for her second goal of the afternoon. Immediately following the Saints' next score, Gettel took it herself for yet another goal as the Crusaders continued to climb. As the Saints fought back, closing in on the Crusaders, Gettel brought it home for her fifth score of the game to give Madonna two goals of breathing room, up 12-10. Ending the third period on a high note, Stringham would find the net, putting the Crusaders up 13-10 with one period to play. The final blow by the Crusaders would come from a goal by Sydney Pattinson off of an assist by O'Connor as they would ice the Saints and go on to win 14-12.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 

• Gettel led the Crusaders with five goals, three assists, 12 ground balls, and four caused turnovers for a total of eight points.
• O'Connor was second in points with four, scoring two goals and recording two assists.
• Dyson scored three goals
• Hannah Dickson made 16 saves for the Crusaders.

UP NEXT

The Crusaders will stay home as they prepare to face the NCAA Division II Tiffin University (Oh.) Dragons at the Madonna Athletic Complex on Wednesday, March 15th at 3:00 pm