WAUKESHA, Wis. - Disciplined teams often have a knack for rising to the occasion and grinding out tough, close victories.
The Carroll University women's lacrosse team demonstrated that ability as it defeated the University of Wisconsin-River Falls 9-6 in a sunny, cold nonconference game at Schneider Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was the third consecutive victory and completed a highly successful, undefeated spring break week for Carroll, which won on its home field for the second time this season and improved to 4-1 overall.
The Pioneers, who savored the opportunity to ring the bright orange victory bell positioned at the edge of field following the contest, have won eight of their past 10 home games dating back to last season.
Carroll led 5-3 at the end of the tough, physical first half and outscored the Falcons 4-3 over the course of the final 30 minutes.
Sophomore midfielder Courtenay Karls (Waukesha, Wis.) equaled her season high by contributing four unassisted goals to lead Carroll, which made a triumphant return home after capturing two confidence-building victories at the challenging Spring Fling Games in Florida.
Karls, who has generated 13 goals and six assists this season, asserted herself early in the game by scoring two goals to overcome a 1-0 deficit - highlighted by an aggressive shot to regain a lead with 21:16 remaining in the first half.
On the key, momentum-shifting sequence, Karls took possession, quickly charged from the left side, worked past three defenders and fired a strong, hard-lining crossing shot into the back corner of the net.
"Coming back from spring break where we played two very good games, it was obvious that we struggled today so it was great to be able to pull together as a team and come out on top," said Karls, who also converted on two free-position shots, fielded four ground balls, caused four turnovers and won three draw controls. "After struggling with some of the basics early, we really tried to stay strong mentally and it carried over onto the physical side. It wasn't pretty at times but fortunately we were able to come away with the victory. That's all that mattered at the end.
"Winning on Thursday was a lot of fun (referring to the team's dramatic 15-14 overtime victory versus SUNY Canton to cap its Florida trip) but this game showed that we still have a lot to work on. Now we just need to build off of the experience and keep moving forward."
Sophomore midfielder Alyssa Scharff (Nashotah, Wis.) followed with a season-high two goals and an assist for the Pioneers, who outshot the Falcons 26-17 - maintaining a 19-15 shot-on-goal advantage.
Scharff, who has contributed seven goals and two assists this year, scored the eventual game-winner on an unassisted, close proximity shot from the right side to extend the lead to 7-4 with 23:40 left.
"It was an amazing feeling to be able to finish on a few goals and contribute to the team's success today," said Scharff, who also converted on a free-position shot in the first half, fielded three groundballs and caused two turnovers. "After playing at a slower pace in the warm weather down in Florida, it was an adjustment coming back to compete in the colder temperatures and on the fast turf once again. At first, we struggled to catch and throw the ball at times but continued to come together, make the most of some important possessions and get on track as the game went on. Ultimately, we worked as a team, adjusted to the situation and came away with the victory."
Sophomore midfielder Michaela Johnson (Mukwonago, Wis.) contributed one goal and an assist for the Pioneers.
Senior midfielder Ariannah Ritter (Sun Prairie, Wis.) and sophomore midfielder Clara Jelacic (Waukesha, Wis.) - who was celebrating her birthday - each added a goal.
Ritter is the program's all-time points leader with 106 and Jelacic reached the prestigious 100-point career milestone with the effort.
Senior goalkeeper Shelby Schoob (Sun Prairie, Wis.) was a stabilizing force by registering nine critical saves in playing the entire 60 minutes - including five saves in the crucial, pressure-packed final 18 minutes of the game.
"We had some tired legs and that ultimately had an impact on our effort," said Carroll fifth-year head coach Michael Hodge, whose team was playing its fourth game in a grueling eight-day stretch. "Coming in, we knew that we were going to be battling some fatigue and going up against a tough opponent. That said, when the game was 6-4 in the second half, we talked during the timeout about being able to grind out victories. That's when we answered with a big goal and took advantage of the momentum.
"Even though it wasn't our best game of the season, we managed to dig down and find a way to win. It was another good test, we showcased our mental toughness and came away with a victory. It's been fun to watch our progression over the course of the last week so now we just want it to continue in the games to come."
Freshman midfielder Emma Kohlbeck and freshman attacker Lexy Meinert each scored two goals for UW-River Falls, which dropped to 2-2 overall.