Pride secure win in opener 14-12

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Opening their season on their home turf, first year coach Irene Carlquist and the Clarke University women's lacrosse team were able to come out victorious, 14-12 Saturday afternoon securing Carlquist's first win.

After trailing 1-0 early in the first quarter, senior Alyssa Humphrey opened the scoring for the Pride off the dish from Vaneza Diaz. 21 seconds later, the Eutectics answered right back as Michelle Le went around the defense and taking the lead back 2-1. Clarke would finish the first quarter with a 3-2 thanks to another Diaz assist on an Emily Moran goal and a Jocelyn Lawrence unassisted tally.

Moran would score three more times in the second quarter along with junior defenseman Sarah Kile and the Pride would go into halftime with a 7-5 advantage. All three of UHSP's goals in the second quarter were on free-shots taken by Lily Erkkila, Mandy Xa, and Molly Bierman.

After another Xa goal would tie the game at 9-9 with 3:40 remaining in the third quarter, Moran would give the Pride back the lead to head into the fourth up 10-9. CU would score three unanswered goals to begin the fourth as Moran would round out her day with seven goals and Humphrey helped build the lead to 13-9 with 7:48 to play.

The Eutectics wouldn't go away however as they would go on a run of their own scoring three unanswered to pull within a goal at 13-12 with 4:05 left. Humphrey would score her fourth goal of the game for the home team to put the game away at 14-12.

Making her first career start, freshman Katarina Saenz-Dubravcak played all 60 minutes for CU making nine saves while seeing 21 attempts.

Up next for Pride women's lacrosse will be a home game against Wartburg College on March 9th starting at 5 pm CST.