Lakers have won five straight conference crowns
ALLENDALE, Mich. – The NMU lacrosse team fell to Grand Valley State 15-9 in the GLIAC Championship match on Sunday.
The Wildcats (11-8, 4-4 GLIAC) have now beaten Concordia-St. Paul in the semifinals and lost to Grand Valley (15-3, 8-0 GLIAC) in the conference championship in Allendale for the third consecutive season. The Lakers have won five-straight GLIAC postseason titles, and their ninth postseason championship in the 13 seasons of GLIAC lacrosse.
The Wildcats tied the Lakers at 4-4 after the first quarter, the second time in program history the team has scored four against GVSU in the opening 15 minutes (the first instance came at home earlier this season). The teams battled back and forth, and the Lakers were only up by two goals heading into the final quarter, but six goals from GVSU to two from NMU in the final frame put the game out of reach.
The ‘Cats were led by All-GLIAC First Team selections Katelyn Wozney (3-0–3) and the GLIAC Attacker of the Year Josie Lakosky (2-0–2) while getting a pair of goals from Emily Radke (2-0–2) as well. Both Maddi Bast and Laine Stanton added a goal of their own, and Hannah Jabas recorded the lone Wildcat assist. This marked the first career hat-trick and a career high in single-game points for Wozney. Lakosky ends the season with 91 points (69-22–91), the second-most goals, assists, and points in a single season behind 2024 Minnie Bittell.
Lauren Esposito played the full 60 minutes, making 10 saves from 30 shots faced, marking back-to-back games where the sophomore has made 10+ saves on 29+ shots faced. Sophie Langsdale (2 CT, 2 GB), Natalie Thomas (1 CT, 3 GB), and Norah Bates (3 GB) led the ‘Cats on defense.
The teams were dead even in both ground balls (16) and turnovers (14), while the Lakers held an 18-10 advantage in draw controls. Grand Valley was led by Ella Boose (5-0–5) and Ashleigh Rothe (4-2–6). Kaylyn Cater made two saves on seven shots on frame before being replaced by the GLIAC Goalkeeper of the Year, Sarah Krause, who made five saves on nine shots on target in the second half.
How It Happened
After a few caused turnovers and defensive stops, the Wildcats opened the scoring from the stick of Bast. Lakosky found Bast cutting into the goal area. Bast spun away from her defender and fired one home from close range. Esposito made a save from a free-position shot, but a gathered ground ball kept the Laker offense alive, and they evened the score on the following possession. On the ensuing draw, Ziegler went coast to coast to give the Lakers their first lead of the evening, with goals coming just 13 seconds apart. The GLIAC Attacker of the Year tied the game at twos from NMUs’ first free-position attempt of the evening. Esposito made another save on a Laker free-position shot, but the Lakers drew another foul directly after the save, and the Lakers’ lead was regained. Bingman doubled the Laker lead, but goals from Lakosky and Radke in the final two minutes of the quarter brought the teams even at four apiece.
The Lakers opened the scoring in the second frame and added another tally just a few minutes later, regaining a two-goal lead just over five minutes into the second. It took eight minutes of gametime for the next goal to be found, this coming off the stick of Radke to give her two on the evening and back within one. NMU had a free-position shot with eight seconds to play before the half, but the shot went wide, and GVSU held a 6-5 lead going into the locker room.
Both teams scored on their opening possessions coming out of the locker room, with Swope scoring 30 seconds in before Wozney responded two minutes later. The Lakers responded quickly to regain the two-goal lead before taking advantage of a man-up opportunity to extend the lead to three. Stanton took a step and rocketed home a free-position shot to respond for the ‘Cats, and after NMU came close to scoring in the dying seconds of the third quarter, the penultimate frame ended at 9-7.
After the Lakers forced a shot clock violation to open the fourth quarter, they then stormed down the field to score their 10th before quickly following it up with the 11th, taking a four-goal lead early in the final frame and forcing a Wildcat timeout. GVSU scored out of the timeout, Wozney responded with a goal of her own, but the Lakers responded a minute later to maintain the five-goal cushion. Wozney scored again to complete the hat-trick, but the Lakers responded once again shortly after. GVSU notched its 15th with a minute and a half to go in the game, and the clock would run out, ending the game at 15-9.
