wlax 2026
7
Bethel (IN) BETHEL ( 3-5, 2-4
8
Winner Madonna MADONNA 4-8, 2-4
Bethel (IN) BETHEL (
3-5, 2-4
7
Final
8
Madonna MADONNA
4-8, 2-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Bethel (IN) BETHEL ( 3 1 1 2 7
Madonna MADONNA 5 0 2 1 8

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Madonna edges Bethel 8-7 after late defensive stand

LIVONIA, Mich - Madonna held off a late Bethel push for an 8-7 lacrosse victory Wednesday, using a decisive first-quarter surge and five power-play goals to build enough cushion. The Crusaders led 8-5 early in the fourth quarter before Bethel scored twice in the final 7:29, but Madonna closed out the one-goal win.
The game turned on Madonna's ability to seize control early and then answer when Bethel drew even. The Crusaders outscored Bethel 5-3 in the first quarter and eventually 5-0 across the game's man-up chances, a margin that proved critical in a one-goal finish. Madi Conrad led Madonna with four goals on eight shots, including two man-up scores, and scored the eventual game-winner when she pushed the lead to 8-5 with 12:47 left in the fourth quarter.
Madonna's scoring sequence in the opening quarter set the tone. After Bethel took an early 1-0 lead on a goal by Ella Thomasma and later went ahead 2-1 on Kyra Dominick's man-up score at the 9:30 mark, the Crusaders responded quickly. Conrad tied it 2-2 with a man-up goal at 7:22, and Madonna kept pressing. Erika Hernandez capped the quarter with a power-play goal at 2:13, assisted by Danielle Turner, giving the Crusaders a 5-3 advantage by the end of the first.
Bethel worked back into the match over the middle quarters. Megan Williams scored with 3:58 remaining in the second quarter to trim the deficit to 5-4, and Ella Vick tied the game at 5-5 just 35 seconds into the third. Madonna answered immediately in the possession battles that followed. Conrad put the Crusaders back in front 6-5 on another man-up goal at 8:30 of the third, this time assisted by Ri O'Connor, then added another goal at 2:46 off an assist from Marissa Rushlow for a 7-5 lead entering the fourth.
The Crusaders finished with a 25-21 edge in shots and put 18 attempts on goal, while also committing fewer turnovers, 22 to Bethel's 29. Bethel controlled more draws, 12-5, but Madonna made better use of its extra-player chances and completed 20 clears. Turner added a goal and an assist for Madonna. In net, Olivia Vitantonio made eight saves on 21 shots faced, helping preserve the lead as Bethel pressed late. Bethel goalkeeper Maddie Reel kept her team within reach with 10 saves.
Bethel made one final run in the fourth quarter, getting a free-position goal from Williams at 7:29 to cut the lead to 8-6, then a goal from Mackenzie Holland with 2:11 left to make it 8-7. That left Madonna needing one more defensive sequence, and the Crusaders got it, surviving the final minutes to secure the narrow win.
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