The Lake Forest College women's lacrosse team pulled away in the fourth quarter on Friday, defeating visiting Hamline University 14-9 to claim the 2022 Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference title.
The game was closer than the final score would indicate. The teams were separated by no more than one goal for all but 61 seconds of the first three quarters and the score was tied at the end of each of them.
Hamline broke an 8-8 tie less than two-and-a-half minutes into the final period but a man-up goal by Forester freshman Jenna Doctor at the 10:57 mark tied the score for the seventh time in the contest. Sophomore Ali Graham's fourth goal of the day put Lake Forest on top for good with 8:40 to play and freshman Krissy Kuwahara doubled the lead just 38 seconds later. Doctor matched Graham's goal total for the game with her fourth and free position shots were converted by sophomore Ryleigh Nelson and Kuwaharato account for the final score.
Doctor raised her team-high goal total for the season to 33 and Graham is next on the squad with 24. Kuwahara and junior Emma Tryder each struck twice on Friday and now have 23 and 18, respectively, this spring. Nelson's score was her 18th and freshman Savannah Frauhiger is at 21 after extending her goal streak to a dozen games.
The Foresters out-shot their guests 30-22 to help make up for a 15-12 Piper advantage in draw controls. Lake Forest also committed just 13 turnovers to Hamline's 18.
In addition to scoring four times, Graham led the home team with six ground balls, six draw controls, and three caused turnovers.
Freshman goalie Calliope Saban made six saves to earn the victory.
The Foresters finished their league schedule with a perfect 5-0 record and improved their overall mark to 10-3. Hamilne fell to 4-7 overall and 3-1 in the conference.
Lake Forest will be the top seed in the MWLC Tournament, which will begin with a home game in the semifinals next Wednesday. If they prevail on Wednesday, the Foresters will host the tournament final on Saturday, May 7. The winner of the tourney receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.