PORTLAND, Ore. – The George Fox women's lacrosse team clinched their 10th consecutive regular season NWC Championship — defeating the Lewis & Clark River Otters in a 17-13 back-and-forth battle.

How It Happened
Ava Bluhm won the first draw control immediately, as the first goal was made in the first minute of the game by Naomi Rauch. Merrick Gibson attempted to score a few minutes later, missing too wide, but Lana Davis scored a strong goal after Claire Abraham passed her the ball. Gibson notched a goal after that in a free-position shot—putting the Bruins ahead 3-0.

Then, Sasha Thayer and Abraham made back-to-back goals around the ten-minute mark. Draw control was won right after by Abraham, attacking the Ott's defense. Abraham then attempted to score, missing too high, but then responded quickly with a goal to make the score 6-0.

The River Otters scored their first point with just over five minutes remaining in the game—then, with one minute left, they scored again after a period of no scoring. The first quarter ended with a score of 6-2.

Lewis & Clark were gaining traction when they made two more goals within the first three minutes of the second period, but Fox claimed dominance again when Jenna Clark picked up the ground ball. Audrey White made a free-position goal, and the Ottos attempted to catch up to them, making a goal as well.

Roughly six minutes later, the River Otters tied the score with two more goals, 7-7—Fox was scrambling to keep their leading spot as Thayer scored, but Lewis & Clark tied it 8-8 once again. Abraham made the final goal, recording their lead, and ending the second quarter with a one-point lead, 9-8.

The first five minutes of the next period were slow, as both teams struggled to gain points. Abraham picked up the ground ball, and Gibson made a goal, but Lewis & Clark was gaining on them—three more solid goals were launched into the goal, putting the River Otters ahead by one point at 11-10.

The Bruins never backed down, though, and Fox was able to get ahead again after a back-and-forth—Abraham tied the score 11-11 with a strong goal, while Bluhm and Gibson scored as well, taking back the lead at 13-12 and making way for the final period.

In the last quarter, Abraham attempted a shot, but it was saved by the goalie. However, Bluhm fought hard to make the next goal—14-12. The final two minutes of the game were intense, as White passed the ball to Bluhm, who shot it into the goal, claiming a more secure spot for the win. Lewis & Clark fought back though, making a clean goal with Fox still ahead 16-13.

Davis won draw control, and Abraham lined up for a free-position goal in the final 18 seconds, hoping to claim the victory—and the Bruins did claim their win, as Abraham locked in the goal, and they went home with a final score of 17-13.

Top Performances
Claire Abraham scored five goals overall, with two assists and two draw controls won, as Merrick Gibson made four goals and one assist. Ava Bluhm was a top performer with three goals made, two assists, and four draw controls, as Sasha Thayer scored two goals and two assists. Lana Davis scored one goal with five draw controls won, while Audrey White and Naomi Rauch scored one goal each. For goalkeeping, Gabrielle McClung took the win with three saves overall.

What It Means
The Bruins rise to 14-3 (8-0 NWC) as the River Otters fall to 11-6 (6-2 NWC). With the win, GFU clinches their 10th NWC regular-season title. As such, the Bruins will host the conference tournament in Newberg.

Coach's Thoughts
"The girls battled today," said Bruin head coach Jordyn Merkel. "They executed game plans."

What Comes Next
The Bruins will host in the NWC Semifinals next weekend on Friday, May 2. They will face the No. 4 seed, Willamette. Start times are still TBD.