WAUKESHA, Wis. – Carroll University women's lacrosse faced a tough early-season test on Tuesday evening, dropping a 19–8 decision to No. 20 Chicago at Schneider Stadium. The Maroons entered the contest ranked among the nation's top programs, and despite Carroll's persistence and flashes of strong play, Chicago's depth and efficiency proved decisive.
Chicago opened the game with a fast start, scoring the first 10 goals of the contest and controlling possession early behind a 17–11 advantage in draw controls. Carroll broke through late in the opening quarter when Elaina Phaneuf scored unassisted with 1:16 remaining, giving the Pioneers momentum heading into the second period.
The Pioneers continued to battle in the second quarter, capitalizing on a man-up opportunity when Samantha Hurd converted a free-position shot. Elizabeth Wang added an unassisted goal earlier in the frame as Carroll worked to chip away against Chicago's pressure defense. The Maroons, however, maintained control and carried a 13–3 lead into halftime.
Carroll showed its strongest stretch of play coming out of the break, matching Chicago's energy in the third quarter. Lauren Fricke opened the half with a goal off an assist from Wang, and Phaneuf added her second of the night later in the period. Wang scored again midway through the quarter, helping Carroll generate consistent offensive looks against one of Division III's top defensive units.
The Pioneers continued to fight through the fourth quarter, getting goals from Paige Helms and McKenzie DeFord down the stretch, while Wang finished the night with a team-high three points on two goals and one assist. Phaneuf also posted a multi-goal performance, while Hurd contributed a goal and an assist.
Defensively, Grace Tumilty led Carroll with eight ground balls and was active throughout the contest, while Teah Rupp added five ground balls. In goal, Devon Duym and Hannah McKenna combined for five saves against a Chicago offense that generated 33 shots.
Despite the result, the matchup provided valuable experience for a Carroll squad facing one of the strongest teams on its schedule early in the season. The Pioneers showed resilience and growth as the game progressed and will look to build on that effort moving forward as conference play opens up this Saturday as the team travels to Elmhurst to take on the Bluejays at noon.
