La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse lacrosse team advanced to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament Semifinals (presented by Culver's) with a 16-8 victory over Hamline University (Minn.) in the first round Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
The Eagles improve to 13-4 on the season while the Pipers finish 10-6.Â
Evie Brilz had four goals and one assist.
UWL's 13 wins set a single-season school record. The Eagles won 12 games in 2023 (12-5) and 2024 (12-6).
With the win, third-seeded UWL advances to play at second-seeded UW-River Falls in the tournament semifinals on Friday, May 1 at 5:30 p.m.
Hamline (Minn.) took a 2-0 lead on goals from Aoi Suzuki and Reagan Zywicki before UWL scored the next three goals to take a 3-2 lead.
Megan Maloney scored at 10:36 to cut the lead to 2-1 before
Evie Brilz tied it at 2-2 with 5:08 left in the first quarter.
Emily Wrobbel gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead after the first quarter with her goal with :57 remaining.
Ema Rehder tied the game off Suzuki's assist to force a 3-3 tie. Brilz' goal with 11:18 remaining in the second quarter on
Anna Millard's assist gave UWL a 4-3 lead. Zywicki tied it with 10:31 left. Emma Collins recorded an assist. The Eagles scored the final three goals of the first half to take a 7-4 lead.
Tori Katzenmeyer had a pair of man-up goals for a 6-4 advantage and Brilz scored with :51 remaining on a
Ava Schiltz assist to make it 7-4.
UWL outscored Hamline (Minn.), 6-2 in the third quarter. After Emma Halweg cut the deficit to 7-5 with 14:09 left before Maloney made it 8-5 with 12:01 remaining. Two goals from Millard and one from Schiltz and Katzenmeyer gave UWL a 12-5 lead. Zywicki cut it to 12-6, but Brilz extended the Eagles' lead to 13-6 after three quarters.
Millard had a pair of fourth quarter goals while Katzenmeyer also scored for UWL. Kayli Starkey notched two goals for the Pipers in the fourth quarter.
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Tori Katzenmeyer finished with four goals
and one assist.
UWL finished with 31 shots with 26 on goal. Brilz, Katzenmeyer and Millard each had four goals for the Eagles while Maloney finished with two. Seven players recorded an assist. Brilz,
Stefania Rossi and
Kara Stay led UWL with four ground balls each with Schiltz having a team-high five draw controls.
Rossi earned the victory, recording 10 saves.
Hamline (Minn.) totaled 24 shots, including 15 on goal. Zywicki led the Pipers with three goals while Starkey finished with two. Rehder had four ground balls and Halweg seven draw controls.
Lola Brouwer took the loss, finishing with 10 saves in the game.
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