GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Blue Devils of Lawrence Tech scored 13 un-answered goals to start the game and Davenport was not able to erase the early deficit. This was a game of runs as the Panthers responded with an 11-goal run of their own. Davenport fought back tremendously, never giving up during the game. However, the 13-goal deficit in the first period proved too much to overcome late in the game.
 
THE BASICS
Final Score: #2 Davenport-11 | #3 Lawrence Tech-14
Location: Greenville, S.C.
Record: Davenport 15-3 | Lawrence Tech 18-1
 
GOALS PER PERIOD
First period: DU-3 | LTU-13
Second period: DU-8 | LTU-1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Courtesy of Tommy Chasanoff, NAIA Lacrosse National Invitational Media Coordinator)
Lawrence Tech got off to a fast start as Isabelle Vickers found Kadijah Kalo for a goal with 28:32 remaining in the first. The Blue Devils added four straight goals over the course of the next five minutes to take a 5-0 lead with 23:37 left. Lawrence Tech scored eight unanswered goals, including three from Vickers and two from Ashley Collins to take a 13-0 lead with 5:52 remaining in the opening period.Davenport started to rally as Amber Livingston netted an unassisted goal at the 4:01 mark to put the Panthers on the board. Davenport added a pair of goals in the final two minutes to cut the deficit to 13-3 at halftime.
 
Davenport carried the momentum into the second half as Livingston and Brooke Knoll scored back-to-back goals to make it 13-5 with 23:09 remaining. Knoll scored three of Davenport's next five goals to bring the Panthers within three at 13-10 with 14:47 left. A couple minutes later Jessica Lemcke scored an unassisted goal to make it 13-11. Lawrence Tech snapped a 19-minute scoreless drought as Kalo's shot connected with the back of the cage for a goal. Both teams had chances in the final minutes but could not convert.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
Lemcke (2 G, 2 P, 2 GB, 2 CT, 3 DC)
Tara Pluger (2 A, 2 P, GB, 2 DC)
Knoll (5 G, 5 P, 2 GB, DC)
Livingston (2 G, 2 P, GB)
Samantha Powers (21:30 minutes, 12 GA, save)
Alex Yates (38:30 minutes, 2 GA, 6 saves)
 
Davenport finished the season 15-3 and 13-1 in conference play. They advanced to the NAIA Invitational semifinals for the second straight season and ranked in the top-5 nationally the entire season. The senior class walks away as four time WHAC regular season champions and two time national champions.
 
Story by: Devin Steiner
 
Photo credit: Kara Stevenson