Lakosky, Bast each score six goals
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The NMU women’s lacrosse team opened its 2025 calendar emphatically, defeating an important regional opponent the Walsh Cavaliers by a final score of 19-6.
The Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 GLIAC) opened the scoring just 30 seconds in, were tied two minutes later, then never looked back; NMU held a lead for the remaining 55 minutes, held the Cavaliers (0-1, 0-0 GMAC) to two or fewer goals in each quarter, and ended the game on a 9-1 scoring run between the second half of the third quarter and final whistle.
Forward turned defender converted back to forward Maddi Bast, alongside reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year Josie Lakosky, each contributed six goals to combine for 12 of the ‘Cats 19 tallies. This marks the most goals scored in a single game for Bast since she put up seven two seasons ago (3/5/23 at Quincy), and Lakosky’s six tied a career high of hers set last season (4/13/24 vs Concordia St. Paul).
Freshman Hannah Jabas had an impressive debut, scoring a hat-trick with two assists to give her five points, only second to teammates Bast and Lakosky with six. Laine Stanton (2-1–3) and Taylor Priestley (2-0–2) rounded out the team scoring.
Freshman netminder Zoe Montgomery played the opening 30 minutes in her first Wildcat appearance, making three saves on six shots against. Returning goalkeeper Lauren Esposito entered after the halftime break, making six saves from nine shots in her time between the pipes.
Norah Bates and Natalie Thomas led all players with three ground balls. Bates also led all players with three caused turnovers, and Thomas chipped in one caused turnover herself.
The Wildcats controlled nearly every team statistic, out-shooting the Cavaliers 48-22, scooping 19 ground balls to 14, and holding a wide margin in draw controls with 20 to eight, including nine to nothing in the fourth quarter.
The ‘Cats best quarters were the first and fourth, out-shooting the opposition 14-3 in each and out-scoring Walsh by a combined total of 12-2 in those two frames.
NMU now looks ahead to Sunday, when the team clashes UW-Stout at 4 p.m. in the Superior Dome.
