Contact: Rachel Balinao, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, rabalinao@noctrl.edu

MENOMONIE, Wis. (Mar. 25, 2026) -  In a warm midweek matchup, the North Central College women's lacrosse team traveled to the University of Wisconsin-Stout and came up short, 16-7, in a fast-paced game.

CC Rovik collected the Cardinals' first ground ball to open the game. In the first three minutes, the Blue Devils struck first to take a 1-0 lead, then added another goal before Samantha Alis found a gap and beat a defender to cut the deficit to 2-1. Anaise Kaufman and Camille Krekeler generated consecutive shots to keep the offense active but were unable to convert. UW-Stout added two more goals late in the first quarter to take a 4-1 lead. 

Anna Williamson sparked the Cardinals early in the second quarter with a shot on goal that was saved. Five minutes into the period, Williamson forced a turnover that Alis collected before finding Mikaela Busse cutting toward the goal. Busse converted to trim the deficit to 4-2. 

The Blue Devils responded with a four-goal run before Kaufman scored on a free-position shot to make it 8-3. UW-Stout added three more goals late in the half to take an 11-3 lead into the break. 

Early in the third, Alaina Clark collected a ground ball in advanced of Williamson and Busse each recording shots that were saved. After a UW-Stout card gave possession to North Central, Busse scored from the 12-meter to make it 11-4. UW-Stout closed the quarter with another goal to extend its lead to 12-4. 

In the fourth quarter, Busse completed her hat trick with a shot through traffic to make it 12-5. Williamson then connected with Alis, who spun past her defender and scored to cut the deficit to six. On a quick transition opportunity, Busse advanced the ball and found Williamson near the crease for another goal, bringing the score to 12-7. The Blue Devils answered with a free-position goal following the draw to push the lead to 13-7, then closed the game with three additional goals. 

Busse recorded her fourth hat trick of the season. Alis scored twice while Williamson and Kaufman each added a goal. Busse, Alis and Williamson each recorded an assist. Alis and Clark led the team with four ground balls apiece, and Alis matched her season high with five caused turnovers. 

North Central placed 13 of its 20 shots on goal and attempted two free-position shots. Defensively, Rovik and Oran Wilkins combined for 12 saves, while both teams recorded 14 caused turnovers.

North Central will look to bounce back Apr. 4 as it begins College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play at Illinois Wesleyan University. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Bloomington, Ill. in Tucci Stadium.