WAUKESHA, Wis. - The Carroll University women's lacrosse team wasn't about to let some bad weather prevent it from continuing its history-making winning streak.
Carroll emphasized that point as it defeated University of Northwestern 16-3 in a cold, rain-soaked nonconference game at Schneider Stadium on Friday afternoon.
It was the fifth home-field victory of the season for Carroll, which improved to a program-best 12-0 overall.
The Pioneers showcased their depth, balance and athleticism with seven different players reaching the scoring column.
Freshman midfielder Clara Jelacic (Waukesha, Wis.) scored a team-high four goals to lead Carroll, which scored nine unanswered goals in the first half - finishing four times in the opening 10 minutes.
Senior attacker Betty Koenig (Sun Prairie, Wis.), junior midfielder Ariannah Ritter (Sun Prairie, Wis.) and freshman midfielder Courtenay Karls (Waukesha, Wis.) each registered a hat trick for the Pioneers, who outshot University of Northwestern 44-6 - including a 25-5 shot-on-goal advantage. Freshman midfielder Michaela Johnson (Mukwonago, Wis.), junior attacker Amanda Ferr (Franklin, Wis.) and freshman midfielder Alyssa Scharff (Nashotah, Wis.) each added a goal.
"Being the first recruit in the program, it's been really special seeing the team grow into what it has become over the course of the last four years," said Koenig, one of two seniors on the roster this season. "During that time, I always knew that we had the ability to have this type of season so it has been great watching the team develop and play up to its potential.
"Looking back on how things have gone, it's crazy to think that during my senior season we could end up getting the opportunity to play in May. I always knew our time would come so it's been awesome to watch everyone on the team mesh together as a unit (referring to the solid core of returning veterans and large group of freshmen recruits), contribute to each victory and make it happen. That chemistry, positive approach and ability to compete with confidence has played a big role in our success."
Junior defender Katie Majewski (Mundelein, Ill.) was a steady defensive force throughout the contest, picking up five groundballs, winning five draw controls and causing three turnovers.
"We continue to learn from our mistakes and make progress with each game," said Majewski, who was selected as the team's Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. "Throughout the day, we used several different defensive sets, built momentum off of some early success and attempted to play as perfect as possible. As that happened, it created opportunities to possess the ball and led to a lot of productive situations for the offense. As a whole, this was one of our best games of the season.
"After not winning many games over the past few years, it's been a great feeling to experience a lot of big victories, maintain a 12-game winning streak and receive recognition for our efforts. It's been an unbelievable experience and amazing to be a part of it."
Junior goalkeeper Shelby Schoob (Sun Prairie, Wis.) had two saves in playing the entire 60 minutes for the Pioneers.
"Coming off a big victory Wednesday (referring to the team's 16-5 College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin victory over University of Dubuque), we didn't want to become complacent and just tried to focus on playing our game for a solid 60 minutes," Carroll head coach Michael Hodge said. "The weather wasn't great but we did a nice job of adjusting to the conditions, came ready to play and made the most of the situation. University of Northwestern is a good team so we appreciated them coming down and presenting another challenging matchup. Over the course of the season, we've attempted to come out strong at the start of each game, play with confidence and build off of the momentum. It was great to see that trend continue as we prepare for Saturday's big showdown with Augustana.
"Offensively, we have the potential for seven different players to score on a given day so it was nice to be able to showcase that balance and take another step forward. It won't be easy but now we just want to continue to play our best and keep it going tomorrow."