Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Mar. 26, 2024 - Cruising to a third straight win, the North Central College women's lacrosse team achieved its largest margin of victory thus far this season Tuesday, dispatching the Pacific University (Oregon) Boxers, 14-4, at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

The Cardinals (5-3) dominated the battle for possession all evening long, owning a 37-10 advantage in shot attempts and effectively putting the game out of reach in the second quarter with a run of six consecutive goals.

Lucy Culig opened the scoring for the Cardinals with 10:20 left in the first quarter, picking up a ground ball on her own missed shot and depositing it in the net. Annelise Oster assisted Abby MacKenzie on a second North Central goal with 6:35 on the clock to double the lead to 2-0, though the Boxers (2-5) countered with just 1:03 remaining as Sarah Quade connected for the visitors' first score.

Oster opened North Central's game-breaking second-quarter effort with goal just 36 seconds after play resumed. The Cardinals took control with a run of four scores in just under three minutes, as Reese McMullen picked up a ground ball off a missed shot and scored with 12:34 left in the half and assisted MacKenzie on a goal just 44 seconds later. Oster and Rachel Lawrence added goals to boost the hosts' advantage to 7-1 with 9:45 still to play, and Culig closed the half with a second goal to send the Cardinals into halftime with an 8-1 lead.

McMullen, Julia Clarke and MacKenzie scored consecutive goals in the first 4:20 of the  second half to give the hosts their first double-digit advantage at 11-1 before Zannah Suehiro and Diane Crets countered for the Boxers. MacKenzie and Culig scored again within 34 seconds of one another to end the third quarter with a commanding 13-3 lead. Tsahai Smith tacked on the Cardinals' final goal with 7:51 to play in the contest.

MacKenzie led all scorers with four goals and collected a game-high nine draw controls, while Taylor Smith picked up five ground balls. 

North Central is idle until Saturday, Apr. 6, when it hosts Augustana College (1-5) in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) opener for both teams. Play is scheduled to begin at noon. Click HERE for the full 2024 schedule and live coverage options.

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