Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, April 7
Detroit, Mich.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
6-5, 3-0MAC
12
at
9
Detroit Mercy
3-10, 2-2MAC
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Eastern Michigan
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12
Detroit Mercy
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Lacrosse Stays Perfect in MAC Play, Downs Detroit Mercy, 12-9
4/7/2024 3:32:00 PM | Lacrosse
Dague scores a career-high four goals to lead the offense to victory
DETROIT (EMUEagles.com) -- A six-goal fourth quarter was the difference in a back-and-forth contest as the Eastern Michigan University lacrosse team claimed a 12-9 road victory over the University of Detroit Mercy at Titan Field in Detroit, Sunday, April 7. The win keeps the Eagles (6-5, 3-0 Mid-American Conference) atop the league standings while the Titans (3-10, 2-2) remained in a tie for third place.
How It Happened
Eastern took an early 1-0 lead with Kyleigh Dill (Dover, Del./Dover) scoring on a woman-up opportunity with Avery Schwab (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin-Scioto) setting her up. After the Titans tied it at 1-1, Schwab and Kelsea Dague (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) scored back-to-back goals before UDM added their second with one minute remaining to make it 3-2 through the first quarter.
The Titans scored twice in the second quarter to take a 4-3 lead before Mackenzie Blackwell (North Beach, Md./Northern) scored her first of the day to knot things at 4-4 at halftime. Maddie Porter (Montrose, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) recorded five saves in the quarter to keep the game tight through 30 minutes.
In the third quarter, the hosts took a 5-4 lead before the Eagles scored twice in a row to take a 6-5 advantage, their first lead since 3-2 in the first quarter. Ally Moore (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon Regional) tallied a woman-up goal to tie things at 5-5 before Abby Alderman (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) scored on a free-position shot for the lead. The Titans scored once more to tie things at 6-6 heading into the final stanza.
The fourth quarter saw the hosts take a quick lead before Ab. Alderman scored her second of the day with Schwab dishing her second helper. Dague followed her second of the day on an assist from Moore to stake the Eagles to an 8-7 lead before Blackwell tallied a woman-up goal on a dish from Roya Khaleeli (Rancho Palo Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula) to make it 9-7. The Titans responded with two goals to knot things at 9-9 before Dague secured her first career hat trick with her third of the day for a 10-9 lead with 6:39 remaining. Blackwell extended the lead to 11-9 with her third of the day as Dague's pass set her up for the score. Dague added to the lead with her fourth goal of the game with just over one minute to play, making for the final score, 12-9.
Game Notes
» Eastern improved to 6-5 overall and a perfect 3-0 in the MAC while Detroit Mercy fell to 3-10 overall and 2-2 in the MAC.
» With wins by EMU and Central Michigan (vs. Robert Morris), the Eagles and Chippewas are tied for top spot in the MAC standings at 3-0 and play one another in Ypsilanti next week, April 14.
» As a team, the six goals scored in the fourth quarter are tied for the second-most in any quarter with the seven scored at home against the Titans, April 29, 2023, standing as the record.
» The Eagles collected 22 draw controls, which ranks third all-time in a game and second in a MAC contest behind the 23 won last year against the Titans, April 29, 2023.
» Kelsea Dague had a career game with four goals, her first collegiate hat trick, two assists, and six points. Her goal and point totals are career highs while her assists tied her previous high recorded twice earlier. She also was credited with the first game-winning goal of her career.
» Mackenzie Blackwell got back to her scoring ways with three goals to mark her eighth hat trick in 10 games this year and the 14th of her career. She now has 41 goals this season, which are two better than the record 39 she posted last year as a freshman to establish the program's single-season record.
» Roya Khaleeli was credited with an assist, just the second of her career.
» Maddie Porter (Montrose, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) posted 10 saves, which tied for the most she has recorded in a MAC game this year. She also had 10 on the road against Akron, March 24.
Series Notes
» Eastern improved to 2-1 all-time against Detroit Mercy and has won two in a row after taking a 17-12 decision in Ypsilanti, April 29, 2023, to close out the Eagles' inaugural season.
» The Eagles' win was their first on the road at UDM after falling 17-7, April 1, 2023.
Up Next
There will be another major meeting next week as the battle for first place in the MAC takes place in Ypsilanti, Sunday, April 14, as the Central Michigan University Chippewas come to town for a 10:30 a.m. game at Scicluna Field. Both teams enter with 3-0 records in MAC play with the victor holding a large advantage in claiming the league's regular season title.
How It Happened
Eastern took an early 1-0 lead with Kyleigh Dill (Dover, Del./Dover) scoring on a woman-up opportunity with Avery Schwab (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin-Scioto) setting her up. After the Titans tied it at 1-1, Schwab and Kelsea Dague (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) scored back-to-back goals before UDM added their second with one minute remaining to make it 3-2 through the first quarter.
The Titans scored twice in the second quarter to take a 4-3 lead before Mackenzie Blackwell (North Beach, Md./Northern) scored her first of the day to knot things at 4-4 at halftime. Maddie Porter (Montrose, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) recorded five saves in the quarter to keep the game tight through 30 minutes.
In the third quarter, the hosts took a 5-4 lead before the Eagles scored twice in a row to take a 6-5 advantage, their first lead since 3-2 in the first quarter. Ally Moore (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon Regional) tallied a woman-up goal to tie things at 5-5 before Abby Alderman (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) scored on a free-position shot for the lead. The Titans scored once more to tie things at 6-6 heading into the final stanza.
The fourth quarter saw the hosts take a quick lead before Ab. Alderman scored her second of the day with Schwab dishing her second helper. Dague followed her second of the day on an assist from Moore to stake the Eagles to an 8-7 lead before Blackwell tallied a woman-up goal on a dish from Roya Khaleeli (Rancho Palo Verdes, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula) to make it 9-7. The Titans responded with two goals to knot things at 9-9 before Dague secured her first career hat trick with her third of the day for a 10-9 lead with 6:39 remaining. Blackwell extended the lead to 11-9 with her third of the day as Dague's pass set her up for the score. Dague added to the lead with her fourth goal of the game with just over one minute to play, making for the final score, 12-9.
Game Notes
» Eastern improved to 6-5 overall and a perfect 3-0 in the MAC while Detroit Mercy fell to 3-10 overall and 2-2 in the MAC.
» With wins by EMU and Central Michigan (vs. Robert Morris), the Eagles and Chippewas are tied for top spot in the MAC standings at 3-0 and play one another in Ypsilanti next week, April 14.
» As a team, the six goals scored in the fourth quarter are tied for the second-most in any quarter with the seven scored at home against the Titans, April 29, 2023, standing as the record.
» The Eagles collected 22 draw controls, which ranks third all-time in a game and second in a MAC contest behind the 23 won last year against the Titans, April 29, 2023.
» Kelsea Dague had a career game with four goals, her first collegiate hat trick, two assists, and six points. Her goal and point totals are career highs while her assists tied her previous high recorded twice earlier. She also was credited with the first game-winning goal of her career.
» Mackenzie Blackwell got back to her scoring ways with three goals to mark her eighth hat trick in 10 games this year and the 14th of her career. She now has 41 goals this season, which are two better than the record 39 she posted last year as a freshman to establish the program's single-season record.
» Roya Khaleeli was credited with an assist, just the second of her career.
» Maddie Porter (Montrose, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) posted 10 saves, which tied for the most she has recorded in a MAC game this year. She also had 10 on the road against Akron, March 24.
Series Notes
» Eastern improved to 2-1 all-time against Detroit Mercy and has won two in a row after taking a 17-12 decision in Ypsilanti, April 29, 2023, to close out the Eagles' inaugural season.
» The Eagles' win was their first on the road at UDM after falling 17-7, April 1, 2023.
Up Next
There will be another major meeting next week as the battle for first place in the MAC takes place in Ypsilanti, Sunday, April 14, as the Central Michigan University Chippewas come to town for a 10:30 a.m. game at Scicluna Field. Both teams enter with 3-0 records in MAC play with the victor holding a large advantage in claiming the league's regular season title.
Team Stats
EMU
UDM
Shots
31
21
Turnovers
15
11
Caused Turnovers
2
6
Draw Controls
22
3
Free-Position Shots
3
0
Ground Balls
17
22
Game Leaders
G
4
A
2
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
3
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
1
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
1
A
2
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
Players Mentioned
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