Central Michigan University
1-0
Saint Francis (PA)
0-1
Red-hot Start For CMU Lacrosse
2/16/2017 12:00:00 AM | Lacrosse
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
LORETTO, Pa. - Hot start in very cold conditions.
Anna Schoonover scored a program-record six goals as the Central Michigan lacrosse team opened the season with a 20-10 victory over St. Francis on a cold and snowy day at the Red Flash's DeGol Field.
The 20 goals was a record for the Chippewas, who are in their second year of competition. The game was played in a snowstorm with on-field temperatures falling into single digits, CMU coach Sara Tisdale said.
"They tried their best to clear the field, but it created almost like an ice slick on the field," she said. "By the end of the game it was pretty slick out there."
The Chippewas, who play at Robert Morris in Pittsburgh on Saturday (noon), adjusted well to the playing conditions, Tisdale said. They drew on their experience of playing last year in equally miserable conditions at Marquette.
"We weren't mentally ready for that" against Marquette last season, she said. "That was one of the more mature moments that we showed today. We knew it was coming and we tried to prepare. We said, 'It's just as cold for St. Francis and we don't let it affect how we play.'
"Honestly our players handled it really well."
Freshman Shannon Doyle, playing in her first collegiate game less than two hours from her hometown of Mars, Pa., scored four goals for the Chippewas, while another freshman, Natalie Karlen, added three.
Emily Kraus, another Chippewa who hails from Pennsylvania, scored two goals as did Jocelyne Lemay and Tyra Prince. Riley Huda scored one goal and led CMU with three assists.
"We had seven different players score goals," Tisdale said. "That's pretty hard to stop from a defensive standpoint. We're pretty excited about that."
Karlen scored two early goals and added an assist to help stake CMU to a 5-1 lead just over 10 minutes into the game. The Chippewa lead grew to 12-4 by halftime.
Dominique Hamman started in goal for CMU and made 13 saves for the victory. Hope Murray, a freshman, made four saves in net over the final 13:53. The 17 saves is a program record. Twice last season the Chippewas recorded 15 in a game.
Schoonover, a sophomore, surpassed Lemay for the CMU single-game goals record. Lemay scored five goals three times in 2016.
Huda tied her own single-game record for assists, which she shares with Schoonover. The 20 goals topped the previous high of 19 that CMU scored last season against Delaware State.
"One of the things that was so much fun to watch is the growth in the players from the first game last year to the first game this year, and the maturity that was shown by some of our returning players," Tisdale said, "and to see the excitement that was brought to the field by the many newcomers.
"I think we were able to work out some of the kinks a little bit, get rid of some of the nerves. I think going into Saturday we feel pretty confident, commanding the draw circle, and what was nice to see was our experienced players' ability to make adjustments without (coaches) having to do it from the sidelines."
Jessica Mazzur scored four goals and Sarah Mahon had three for St. Francis.
