SALEM, Ore. – A huge bounce back game was in stall for the Corban University Women's Lacrosse team (2-3) this evening against the Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers (0-7), cruising to a 20-6 win in their first home match in over a month.
"We came into this game prepared to play hard, and we did just that," Corban Head Coach Kylie McMinn said shortly after her team's blowout victory. "I'm proud of the endurance of this team, with this having been our third game in less than a week with no subs. We're looking forward to a day of rest and to come back refreshed on Saturday."
It took only four minutes for the Warriors to strike first at the Outdoor Athletic Complex, as freshman midfielder Kailyn Dawkins scored the first of her four goals on an assist from junior midfielder Meredith Pinkerton. The Navy and Gold peppered in four more goals in the first quarter alone, as sophomore attacker Megan Lia led with two goals in the final four minutes.
Pinkerton added her only goal of the evening to kick off the second period scoring for Corban after EOU added back-to-back goals to open the quarter, followed by two more scores by Lia and another from Dawkins to provide the Warriors with a 9-4 halftime advantage.
After going scoreless in the opening half, junior attacker Sydney Davis scored two goals in the first minute of the third quarter, with Lia assisting on the second. Eastern Oregon attacker Maya Smith halted a scoring drought for the Mounties by sneaking their fifth goal of the day past Warriors' junior goalkeeper Payton Nuse.
An unassisted goal from Davis and back-to-back scores from Rauch provided the Navy and Gold with a double-digit lead that allowed them to roll their way to a running clock throughout the entirety of the fourth period, adding five more goals and allowing just one to secure a 20-6 margin of victory.
Nuse (2-3) allowed six goals to the Mounties but secured six saves as well, earning her second victory of the year and second on her home turf.
Mountaineers' goalkeeper Sydney Vopat was responsible for the loss in her first start of the season, allowing 20 goals and deflecting a game-high 10 saves along the way.
Lia's six goals and pair of assists allowed the Warriors to sprint to a blowout victory, while Dawkins and Davis each recorded hauls with four goals apiece. Rauch concluded the multi-goal appearances with another hat trick of three goals and a pair of dimes.
Only two Eastern Oregon student-athletes secured multi-goal games in their road appearance, as Smith and attacker Maddy Woodruff each posted braces.
The Warriors and Mounties will battle it out once again on Saturday afternoon at 1pm PDT, looking to end their pair of season matchups at the OAC.
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