FORT WAYNE, Ind. - For the final game of the 2023 regular season, the Madonna University Crusaders (4-9, 3-5) hit the road, traveling west to face the (RV) Indiana Tech Warriors (8-4, 5-3). A win versus the Warriors would keep the Crusaders' postseason hopes alive as they are currently on the bubble of making the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament. However, the Warriors would get the best of them this game, beating the Crusaders 19-7 ending Madonna's season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Warriors got off to a strong start, taking a 3-0 lead over the Crusaders early in the first period. The first Crusader goal of the afternoon would come from senior Courtney Hoeland off of a free-position shot. With that shot, the senior from Waldwick, New Jersey has now 19 goals in her final season as a Crusader. However, the Warriors would add on to their lead to end the first period, holding 6-1 lead over the Crusaders after one.
The Crusaders would get on the board first in the second period with a free-position goal by senior and captain Aria Gettel following a penalty by the Warriors. Not long after though, the Warriors would deliver another goal of their own to maintain the lead. While the Warriors continued to try and pull away, Gettel would get her second goal of the day late in the second period of play. After a draw control win, Gettel would deliver a bouncing shot for the score, cutting the Warriors lead to 11-3 for her 40th goal of the season. The Warriors would tack on another run before the break, leading 12-3 over the Crusaders after the first half.
After the first goal of the half was scored by the Warriors, Gettel would get her third goal of the day with another free-position score. The Crusaders would trade goals with the Warriors but Hoeland would get on the board once again soon after off of an assist from junior Lilly McKee. With that goal, Hoeland becomes the third Crusader to reach 20 goals scored on the season. As the Warriors gave the Crusaders yet another free position shot, sophomore Katie Potter would get on the board next, knocking down the eight-meter goal. The Crusaders now cut the Warriors lead to 14-6.
The Crusaders continued to fight as they prevented the Warriors from pulling away just yet. Sophomore Sydney Pattinson found the bottom left corner of the net for the score early in the fourth period for her seventh goal of the season off of an assist from freshman LeeAnn Johnson to make it a 16-7 game.
Despite their best efforts, the Crusaders couldn't make the late-game comeback, falling 19-7 to the Warriors.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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- Gettel led the Crusaders in both goals and caused turnovers with three of each.
- Gettel will retire as the Crusaders' all-time leading scorer with 114 goals.
- Hoeland scored two goals in her final game as a Crusader, retiring as their fourth-leading scorer all-time with 60 career goals.
- Pattinson led the team in ground balls with six and scored one goal.
- Hannah Dickson had 12 saves at goalie and ends the season ranked second in the WHAC in saves (134).
UP NEXT
This concludes the 2023 season for the Crusaders. Hitting the offseason, they will prepare for 2024, with their fall-ball season set to start up in September. See you next spring, Crusader Nation!
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