SALEM, Ore. -- The lacrosse team was dominant in their performance against the Willamette Bearcats this weekend, locking in a solid 13-5 win.

How It Happened
Within the first five minutes of the first period, Lana Davis attempted a shot which went smack into the crossbar, but she quickly recovered when Morgan Maxfield picked it up, passed it to her, and Davis scored the first goal of the game. Willamette reacted by scoring a goal, seeking to catch Fox off-guard, but they quickly gained back control when Claire Abraham scored a solid goal—her 23rd for the season. 

The score was tied 2-2, but the Bearcats tried to one-up the Bruins once again with another goal. However, Sasha Thayer was able to clear a goal when Fox's offense traveled back down the field—tying the score 3-3. From that point on in the period, the Bruins gained momentum when Davis scored a goal on a free-position shot. Willamette was losing steam, while the clock ticked; with 24 seconds remaining, Ava Bluhm scored her 26th goal of the season, and with five seconds left, Davis did as well. The score was doubled 6-3, giving Fox enough space to breathe.

In the second quarter, only one goal was scored as each team juggled the ball back and forth. It took place with roughly three minutes left on the clock, when Davis swung for the kill. The third quarter began with Willamette under higher pressure—they scored a goal right off the bat, but the Bruins bounced back quickly when Merrick Gibson scored a clean goal. They stayed climbing on the scoreboard when Maxfield scored on a free-position shot, and less than a minute later, Gibson scored another goal—an astounding 10-4. For a while the period went on with no change, but Davis got one last goal in for the quarter on a free-position shot.

Fox only advanced from there when Davis scored yet another goal, her 29th of the entire season. Willamette took a time-out to gather their thoughts, but Fox dominated when Thayer scored a stellar goal with just under seven minutes remaining. The Bearcats scored one last goal, giving their all for the day, while Fox claimed the 13-5 victory.

Top Performers
Lana Davis had scored six goals total and one assist, while Merrick Gibson and Sasha Thayer had two goals apiece. Claire Abraham, Morgan Maxfield, and Ava Bluhm scored one goal each for the day, while Myah Pack had 11 saves overall.

Coach's Thoughts
"The team really showed up to play today," said Bruins head coach Jordyn Merkel. "They had a lot of energy and heart and left it all out on the field."  

What It Means
The Bruins rise to 7-4 overall (3-0 NWC), while the Willamette Bearcats fall to 6-5 overall (3-1 NWC). 

What Happens Next
The lacrosse team will come back to their home grounds to play against the Pacific Boxers on Sunday, April 13 at 1:00 pm.