The Lindenwood women’s lacrosse (7-1, 0-0 ASUN) extended its win streak to five games with a 14-8 win over the Butler Bulldogs (0-6, 0-0 Big East) on Sunday afternoon. The Lions outscored the Bulldogs 8-3 in the second half in the win.
Luci Selander, against her former team, led the Lions with four goals and two assists as Isabella Rulapaugh also tallied four goals in the win. Five other Lions tallied a goal as the wealth was shared with the whole team as Lindenwood outshot Butler 31-26 and 23-20 with shots on goal.
Aislinn Sweeney had another good game in goal only allowing eight goals and making 12 saves throughout the game. Ryleigh Cavanaugh was a force in the circle winning 14 of the Lions 19 draw controls in the match.
Maggie Lewis would get Butler on the board first before Selander was able to put the Lions on the board with a beautiful goal with 10:47 to play in the first quarter. Both teams would trade goals before Rulapuagh would score her eighth goal of the season putting Lindenwood up 3-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Butler would score the first two goals of the second quarter taking a 4-3 lead before three straight goals from the Lions from Cavanaugh and two from Selander, giving her a hat trick, put Lindenwood up 6-4. Butler would get one more from Annika Bennett to close the first half with Lindenwood leading 6-5.
Butler would quickly net two more goals to start the second half putting them up 7-6. Lindenwood would not be phased though as goals from Selander, Rulapaugh, Breylin Bright and Sarah Jardine sparked a 4-0 Lions run putting them up 10-7 at the end of the third as great defense and draw control kept the Bulldogs off the board the final 12 minutes of the third.
Alissa DiGiacinto started the scoring in the fourth netting her 25th goal of the year. Butler would try to spark a comeback getting one past Sweeney to cut the lead back to three but another 3-0 run from Rulapaugh, Jardine and Reese Kreiger put the Bulldogs away and gave Lindenwood the 14-8 win.
The Lions open up Atlantic Sun conference play on Saturday, March 22 at Kennesaw State with first draw coming at 11 a.m.
