Lacrosse’s Hot Start Fades in Overtime Loss to Robert Morris, 8-7

Saturday, March 14

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Noon

Central Michigan University

0-11-7; MAC

Robert Morris

1-03-5; MAC

OT 1

Robert Morris

Central Michigan

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

CMU Lacrosse vs Robert Morris (March 14, 2026)

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Lacrosse’s Hot Start Fades in Overtime Loss to Robert Morris, 8-7

3/14/2026 4:15:00 PM | Lacrosse

Box Score Photo Gallery

CMU opened the MAC and home schedules with five first-quarter goals; Kahler posts 10 saves, six Chippewas tallied a goal

By: Harrison LaLone

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan Lacrosse opened Mid-American Conference action Saturday in its home-opener against defending regular season league champion Robert Morris but fell in double-overtime, 8-7—the fifth one-goal margin over the last eight matchups in the series.

"We showed confidence, but we didn't show it throughout the entire game," interim coach Katie Vahle said. "Our energy was huge, and I think our sideline really brought it today, but I think on the field, we just looked lost at times."

The Chippewas opened the contest with five first-quarter goals, a 5-1 lead through the first 15 minutes.

Julia Werner (Gurnee, Ill. / Warren Township) struck twice in the first nine minutes—the only repeat scorer for CMU—en route to a 4-0 start. Kelsey Barratt (Voorhees, N.J. / Eastern) and Amelia Sarap (Granville, Ohio / Granville) supplied the other two scores.

Mia Bradley (Orchard Park, N.Y. / Orchard Park) scored the fifth of the quarter, the team's second from the eight-meter, and assisted Werner's second strike; Barratt assisted the first.

The Colonials were held without an on-target attempt through the first 15 minutes as the Chippewas forced six turnovers to just three RMU shots.

Though the attack began to struggle after the quarter break, committing 20 turnovers to just two goals over the remainder of regulation.

"In the first quarter, we were working with each other, using each other, and making each other look good. That's something that I think needed to translate later in the game that just didn't."

The defense weathered the storm to force 11 Robert Morris turnovers as Leila Kahler (Spring Lake, Mich. / Spring Lake) collected all 10 of her saves.

"I'm proud of them. I mean, they stood on their heads, and they come out for us when we needed them."

The senior goalie tallied six saves in either the fourth quarter or overtime and finished the contest with a .556 save percentage over 66 minutes between the posts.

"[Kahler] had so many saves that could have turned into good offensive possessions. Unfortunately, we didn't capitalize on them, but I think defensively they played hard and they played exactly how we needed them to do."

Ava Regitz (Marietta, Ga. / Blessed Trinity) powered the Chippewas with seven draw controls, three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.

CMU won the draw circle, 12-6, including eight straight over nearly 40 minutes of game time from the second to fourth quarters.

Isabella Bainbridge (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Forest Hills Northern) and Lili Sorenson (Kildeer, Ill. / Stevenson) each posted an answer during the Colonials' rally. Bainbridge struck from the eight-meter midway through the second, 6-2; Sorenson scored in isolation from behind the cage late in the third, 7-5.

Robert Morris finished the contest on a 3-0 run. Leading scorer Mia Berthoff scored the first two to force overtime, assisted Jade Doldo for the winner. Berthoff finished the contest with a hat trick, five points in total.

Central Michigan Lacrosse immediately turns back to the road with the program's first appearance in New England Tuesday at UMass Lowell (March 17, 6 p.m. ET) followed by an in-conference introduction with Massachusetts Thursday (March 19, 1 p.m. ET).

The Chippewas will get nine days following the return from the northeast to host rival Detroit Mercy (March 28, Noon ET).

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