The Basics
Final Score: Detroit Mercy 16, American 8
Records: Detroit Mercy 1-2, American 0-3
Location: Washington, D.C. (Jacobs Field)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (2/25/2018) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse team captured its first victory of the 2018 season with a strong team effort, downing host American University by a 16-8 margin from Jacobs Field.
The Titans scored six-straight goals in the first half and never looked back. Detroit Mercy allowed just two goals in the opening 30 minutes and scored eight goals in each half. There were several standouts on both sides of the ball.
Senior attacker
Jordyn Beam finished the game with seven points on the strength of two goals and five assists. Sophomore midfielder
Kaitlyn Wandelt tallied six points on five goals and one assist and junior midfielder
Morgan Girardi added four goals and one assist. Seven players in all scored goals in the game with senior attacker
Jessica Snyder also scoring multiple goals.
Freshman attacker
Kristina Ellis scored her first collegiate goal in the contest and junior attacker
Lexie Kinmond added three points (one goal, two assists). Junior goalkeeper
Allison McDonough made eight saves in net for a 50.0-percent save percentage. Four Titans had four ground balls in the game -- Beam, McDonough, Wandelt and senior defender
Lauren Webley.
American scored the first goal of the game, but Detroit Mercy then proceeded to score six-straight markers. Snyder got the Titans on the scoreboard with her first goal of the season just 3:29 into the game. Girardi followed just a minute later, scoring off a free-position opportunity to put Detroit Mercy up 2-1. After an American turnover, Girardi scored again as Detroit Mercy led 3-1.
Just two minutes later, Beam scored off a feed from Wandelt for Detroit Mercy's fourth-straight goal. Wandelt secured the ensuing draw control and then Snyder tallied her second goal of the game with 20:58 left in the first half.
Neither team found the back of the net for the next 10 minutes, but then the Titans tallied another goal with junior attacker
Emma Leszczak scoring off an assist from Kinmond with 10:11 left on the clock in the opening half.
The Eagles scored with 6:29 left on the clock as Detroit Mercy held American scoreless for more than 22 minutes between goals in the first half. Detroit Mercy scored the final two goals of the first half with Wandelt and Beam connecting on a pair of goals from each other about a minute apart. At the halftime break, Detroit Mercy led 8-2 as the Titans held the Eagles to just the two goals in the opening 30 minutes.
Beam scored her second goal of the game just 38 seconds after halftime and Wandelt completed her second-straight hat trick just a minute later as Detroit Mercy opened a 10-3 lead early in the second half.
Girardi then completed her hat trick at the 21-minute mark of the second and
Kristina Ellis scored her first collegiate goal with 19 minutes left on the clock as Detroit Mercy opened an eight-goal lead, 12-4. Girardi made it 13-4 off another assist from Beam just minutes later.
The Titans got a running clock going late in the contest with Kinmond and Wandelt scoring in a span of just 14 seconds, both off assists from Beam, as Detroit Mercy led 15-5 with under 10 minutes left.
Wandelt scored the final goal of the game -- her fifth goal of the contest -- to complete the scoring for the Titans.
Detroit Mercy had the advantage in shots (38-24) and also put 29 of its 38 shots on goal. The Titans were 21-of-24 in clear attempts (87.5 percent) and forced 23 American turnovers. The Titans had 11 caused turnovers in the contest -- three of them by senior
Taylor Spray.
Beam and Wandelt also had two caused turnovers each, while Kinmond and Wandelt each had two draw controls..
Titan News & Notes
• Beam was one point shy of her career-high (eight), that she set during her freshman season.
• Wandelt reached 100 career points with her six points on the day; She has 85 goals and 15 assists in her Titan career.
•
Kristina Ellis is the second Titan freshmen to score her first collegiate goal (
Meredith Moore is the other).
• Wandelt's five goals were the most for the midfielder since she scored six goals at Duquesne last season.
• It was also her second-straight hat trick and 18th career hat trick.
• Girardi recorded her 14th career hat trick with her four goals.
• Spray's three caused turnovers were a single-game, career-high.
• Leszczak made her first career start on attack for the Titans.
• After eight saves Sunday, McDonough is just two saves away from No. 2 all-time on the career list (344 saves).
• The Titans tallied season-bests in ground balls, caused turnovers and draw controls.
• Freshman
Taylor Cantelon notched her first career caused turnover.
• Detroit Mercy opens the season with five-straight road games.
• It was the first meeting between the two schools in women's lacrosse.
Up Next
Detroit Mercy returns to the road next weekend, visiting Butler and Cincinnati on Saturday, March 3 and Monday, March 5, respectively. The Titans' first home game is set for Thursday, March 15 from Titan Field, hosting Saint Francis for a 3 p.m. contest.
