ALMA, Mich.-- The Trine women's lacrosse team opened MIAA play with an 18-11 loss to Alma Wednesday afternoon at Bahlke Field.
The Scots scored seven-straight goals between the 17-second mark of the first half and 13:44 mark of the second half to turn a two-goal advantage into a nine-goal cushion. Tracy Gallihugh scored seven times and won eight draw controls to lead Alma. Freshman Rebecca Plantz (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt) scored four goals to pace the Thunder offensive attack. Plantz also earned seven draw controls. The loss snapped Trine's winning-streak at three games. The Thunder are now 3-2 overall, 0-1 in the MIAA. Alma is 2-7 overall, 1-0 in conference play.
Taylor Gast (Akron, Ind./Tippecanoe Valley) scored three goals and notched five draw controls for Trine. Bailey Brown (Sheridan, Ind./Westfield) picked up the first two goals of her collegiate career, while Hunter Johnson (Millbury, Ohio/Lake) chipped in with a pair of goals. Grace Garrett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) turned away 13 shots for the Thunder.
Ashton Street and Sydney Bryce each scored three goals and dished out an assist for Alma. Shelby Frazier added a pair of goals. The Scots outshot Trine by a 38-20 margin and held a 23-13 edge in ground balls.
Alma raced out to a 5-1 lead paced by three goals by Gallihugh, but the Thunder fought back to cut the deficit to one on three occasions. A goal by Plantz and a pair of tallies by Gast cut the score to 5-4 midway through the first half. Johnson scored both of Trine's next two tallies to keep pace after Alma goals.
Brown's first-career goal cut the score to 9-7 with 2:08 remaining in the first half, but the Scots seized control over the next 18 minutes of play with seven-straight goals. Street and Frazier each scored two goals during that stretch. The Thunder were unable to pull any closer than six the rest of the way.
Trine will host Calvin this Friday, Apr. 3 at 1 p.m. in Fred Zollner Athletic Stadium. The game will be the home-opener for the Thunder after four road games and a neutral-site contest.