Contact: Elliott Carr, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302
 
Box Score

WHITTIER, Calif. (Mar. 25, 2017) – Despite ultimately falling 15-12, the North Central College women's lacrosse team showed several positive signs, including a 4-0 run to start the game, in the final contest of their spring break trip against Whittier College on Saturday afternoon, at Memorial Stadium in Whittier, California.

Senior Kassie Whaling continued to shine for the Cardinals, as she played a major role in giving North Central the early advantage. Soon after collecting a ground ball, she dished the ball off to junior Jordyn McFarlane, who capitalized on the scoring opportunity to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead with 26:40 remaining in the half. Less than a minute later, with 25:48 on the clock, senior Madison Maas gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead, finding herself on the receiving end of an assist from junior Emily Zadny.

Maas showed why she is one of the preeminent offensive threats in the country, as she added another goal minutes later, with 23:58 left in the half. The hot streak was not over for North Central, as freshman Christina Truver would obtain the ground ball, pass to fellow freshman Mynk Richardson-Clerk, who would then weave her way through multiple defenders on route to giving North Central a 4-0 lead just 6:35 into the contest.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Poets would then go on a 6-0 run, until Maas added another goal to her tally with 9:16 remaining in the half. Whitter added one more goal, followed by Richardson-Clerk scoring her second goal of the game with just 1:31 left in the half. North Central trailed Whitter 7-6 at the half.

Whittier came out of halftime and extended their lead over the Cardinals, scoring the opening two goals of the period. North Central overcame their slow start to the half, bouncing back in the form of another goal from Maas with 19:06 left to play.

Following another goal from the Poets, Maas continued to give Whittier defenders nightmares as she scored another two goals in quick succession. With 16:45 on the clock she brought the score 10-8, then 16:20 remaining brought the deficit down to one.

Despite the pressure from the Cardinals, Whittier showed their class by going on a 3-0 run, which was finally put to a halt by Whaling, when she found the back of the net with 9:06 on the clock, and brought the score to 13-10 in favor of the Poets.

Whaling was determined not to let the game slip away, scoring once more with 4:13 remaining. Despite heavy pressure from Whittier defenders, Whaling was able to add one more goal, her third in a ten-minute span, as she was the beneficiary of an assist from senior Nikki Merriss, as the Cardinals capitalized on the woman-down advantage with just 14 seconds left to play.

Statistical leaders for North Central were Maas, who tied her career single-game high with six goals, and Whaling who contributed three. Whaling, McFarlane and Zadny shared the lead in assists, as they delivered one apiece. Truver was the team leader in ground balls, with six, also tying her career single-game high, followed by the senior duo of Anicia Mattingly and Kat Schultz, along with Zadny who had three each.

On the defensive end, Schultz paced North Central with 10 saves, while Truver added six caused turnovers, and freshman Paige Nadherny added two.

North Central will now return home, prior to playing traveling to Notre Dame, Indiana, for a non-conference matchup against Saint Mary's College (2-3) on Wednesday, Mar. 29, at 7:00 p.m. (ET).