ANGOLA, Ind. -- It was the perfect way for the Trine University women's lacrosse to end their home season as they got revenge on Olivet College for an earlier loss in the season, defeating the Comets 8-6. The win improves the Thunder to 5-5 on the year and 2-3 in the MIAA, moving them into a tie for fourth place in the conference standings.
Trine sophomore Taylor Gast (Akron, Ind./Tippecanoe Valley) got the scoring going early as she netted her 16th goal of the season just 34 seconds in. Olivet would quickly answer, scoring their first goal of the game 40 seconds later. Senior Emily Canepa (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) would give the Thunder a lead they would never relinquish as 1:30 after the Comets goal, she would net her 30th of the season.
Freshman Holly Erner (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) and junior Lauren Hood (Austintown, Ohio/Mineral Ridge) would give the Thunder a 4-1 lead with 20:58 remaining. Olivet would add a goal at the 18:00 mark before both sides went scoreless for nearly the rest of the half. Junior Darcy Little (Williamsburg, Ohio/Williamsburg) broke the scoring drought with 36 seconds left as she gave Trine a 5-2 lead at halftime.
Olivet would score a pair of goals to start the second half as they cut the Thunder lead to just one. Less than 30 seconds later freshman Anne Mammel (Tecumseh, Mich./Tecumseh) notched her 18th goal of the year to push the Trine lead back to two.
After another Comets goal, the Thunder put the game away as Little and Gast both added goals midway through the half to put Trine out in front 8-5.
Olivet would notch a goal with 4:25 left, but that would be it as the Thunder defense wouldn't allow the Comets any closer.
Sophomore Grace Garrett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) made nine stops on the afternoon between the pipes for the Thunder. Garrett also grabbed three groundballs and caused three turnovers on the day.
Canepa led the defensive charge for the Thunder with a game-high five groundballs and four caused turnovers. Freshman Bronti Belanger (Haslett, Mich./Haslett) also forced four turnovers while nabbing three groundballs. Senior Maria Duncan (Walkerton, Ind./Oregon-Davis) picked up four groundballs on the afternoon.
On the day, the Thunder out-shot Olivet 34-to-20 but Olivet grabbed 10 draw controls compared to six for Trine. The Thunder held a 26-to-19 groundball advantage for the game and committed just 16 turnovers compared to 27 for the Comets. The Thunder were perfect on clears in the first half going 8-for-8 and finished the day 14-for-17 while holding Olivet to just 16-for-29.
Trine will wrap up their regular season when they travel to Hope on April 27 for a 6:00 p.m. game. With a win, the Thunder will clinch a spot in the MIAA Tournament.