Things go south for UHSP down South in Florida

BABSON PARK, FL – It has been a remarkable start to the 2024 season for the Eutectics Women's Lacrosse team, having won six of their first seven contests in just their second year of the program's existence. They got a true test on Monday with a doubleheader against two talented groups out of the Sunshine State. Webber International (9-2) was receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top-10 poll and downed UHSP in the opening game 17-5 while Warner (8-4) prevailed in the second game of the day 12-7.

In the first match, the Warriors grabbed a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter before the Eutectics marked the board on a goal from Haley Smith at 4:33. It would be the first of two goals by Smith as she scored again unassisted 3:58 later following a Webber goal from Cheyenne Burton as WIU led 4-2. The home club was not done yet as Kaitlyn Patterson scored her second of the game with just :16 left in the period as WIU led 5-2 after one. Webber International owned the first period despite UHSP winning six of the eight draws and winning the turnover count 15-9. The Warriors scored five goals on 11 shots while the Eutectics marked on two of their three first quarter shot attempts.

The Warriors kept the pressure on in the second quarter allowing only a single USHP shot while they collected a dozen of their own. Webber International blanked UHSP in the quarter 4-0 as Patterson finished off a first-half hat trick with WIU leading 9-2 at the break. The third quarter was more of the same from Webber. Bryce Gerber, who had scored her first of the game in the second quarter, scored three consecutive in the third quarter to give her four on the day. The second of those three in the period came on a free position shot. Natalie Baumgarten would add one also off a free position shot at 2:59 and Courtnie Couch scored unassisted to cap the quarter and the Warriors had a commanding 14-2 lead after three.

The two clubs would split and alternate through six fourth-period goals with Michelle Le, Ella Penke and Lindsay Wallace finding the back of the net for the Eutectics. Meanwhile, Gerber and Patterson each finished off five-goal games for Webber International in the win. Brianna Dixon, who was named the Defensive Player of the Week in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) earlier in the day, took the loss in net for UHSP making 12 saves on 29 shots. Jordyn Davidson picked up the win for Webber making two saves on four shots playing the first half. Hannah Register allowed four goals on seven UHSP shots in the second half for WIU. The Eutectics had 37 turnovers to 27 for the Warriors while Webber finished with 36 total shots to 12 for the Purple and Gold. Webber converted on four of their ten free position shots while UHSP never managed a free position attempt in the game. Bryce Gerber added six assists to her five goals with just seven shots on goal. Haley Smith made good on both her shots for UHSP while the Eutectics' leading scorer Caeley Doran was held without a goal on three shots, but she did have an assist.

For their second game of the day, UHSP loaded up and drove the five miles around to the west side of Crooked Lake to Warner University. The Royals entered the day at 7-4 and were coming off a 20-6 loss themselves against Webber International. The Eutectics got off to a much better start matching Warner's three first quarter goals with three of their own as Mandy Xa, Ella Penke and Melanie Doub all scored against Royals starting goaltender Kaylin Brown. Brianna Dixon also started in net for UHSP in the backend of the double dip. Things went a little south for the Purple and Gold in the second quarter with their lone goal coming from Michelle Le off a free position shot with :48 left in the half. That came after Warner had scored four straight and had taken a 7-3 lead.

The Royals opened the second half with five unanswered goals stretching the duration of the third quarter and 6:37 into the fourth. Penke ended the Warner run by scoring with 8:22 left in the game to make it a 12-5 game. Caeley Doran finally got her first goal of the day and Doub tallied her second of the game to finish out the scoring as they both scored unassisted.

Draw controls were even at 11 each and turnovers were fairly even with UHSP committing 26 and Warner finishing with 28. The Royals ended up with two more shots than the visitors 27-25. Dixon made eight saves on 20 shots on goal with her counterpart Brown securing 11 of 18 shots on goal.

Having played three matches in three days, the Eutectics (6-3) will take a week off before their next game, an afternoon home contest with Benedictine (4-3) on March 26 at 3:30p.