LIVONIA, Mich. -- A furious fourth-quarter comeback came up just short for Madonna University on Friday, as the Crusaders fell 10-9 to Alma in a tightly contested nonconference women's lacrosse matchup in Livonia, Mich.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Trailing 10-7 with just over four minutes to play, Madonna stormed back behind late goals from Emma Volpe and Madi Conrad to pull within one in the final minute. Volpe converted a man-up chance with 58 seconds remaining, and Conrad struck again 11 seconds later to make it 10-9, but Alma controlled the closing moments to escape with the one-goal win.

Danielle Turner and Conrad powered the Crusaders' attack with three goals apiece, accounting for two-thirds of Madonna's scoring. Turner opened the game's scoring at 14:46 of the first quarter and later tied the contest 3-3 in the second before finishing with a team-high three tallies on five shots. Conrad matched her production, scoring in the first and third quarters before adding the final goal with 47 seconds left to cap her hat trick.

Madonna started fast, building a 2-0 lead in the first quarter on goals from Turner and Conrad, the latter assisted by Ri O'Connor. Alma responded with two straight to close the period tied 2-2, then used a 3-1 second-quarter advantage to take a 5-3 lead into halftime. The Crusaders continued to chase the game through the third, as a man-down goal from Conrad in the final minute of the quarter cut the deficit to 8-5 and helped set the stage for the late surge. The fourth quarter showcased Madonna's resilience.

After Alma pushed its lead to 9-5, the Crusaders answered with back-to-back goals from Jodi Lekich, off an assist from Erika Hernandez, and then Hernandez herself to pull within 9-7 at 9:13. Even after another Alma man-up goal made it 10-7 with 4:07 remaining, Madonna continued to generate chances, culminating in Volpe's man-up strike and Conrad's final-minute goal to bring the Crusaders within one.

Goalkeeper Olivia Vitantonio kept Madonna within striking distance throughout, finishing with 11 saves on 21 shots on goal. The Crusaders also held a slight edge in key hustle categories, collecting 18 ground balls to Alma's 15 and winning 12 draw controls to Alma's 10. Madonna generated 26 total shots, with 19 on target, but Alma's efficiency and three man-up goals ultimately proved decisive.
Olivia Lazenby led Alma with three goals and one assist, while Makayla Kozal added two goals and an assist and Olivia Andrews scored twice, including two man-up goals. Alma goalkeeper Madison Ramirez recorded 10 saves.

UP NEXT:
Despite the narrow loss, Madonna's balanced scoring, dominance on draws and strong finish suggest a promising foundation as the Crusaders move deeper into the 2026 season.