LEBANON, ILL.  – The No. 9 Maryville women's lacrosse team stormed past McKendree 21-11 to begin Great Lakes Valley Conference play Friday afternoon. With her second goal of the day, senior attack Helen Bae snapped Maryville's all-time goals record with the 220th of her career and now has totaled 222. Paige Murphy poured in seven goals and with one assist to ignite the offense. Bae had four goals and one assist, while Natalie Tomljenovic matched those numbers. Devyn Dimovitz also had a hat trick with one helper.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Murphy opened the scoring just over a minute into the game. McKendree equalized but the Saints grabbed control with five consecutive goals to end the first quarter. Bae converted a free-position shot before Murphy and Tomljenovic found the back of the net. Emmery Clark fired in a player-up goal to continue the run. The Saints won the ensuing draw control, and Bae collected the ball at the top of the McKendree defense. She weaved through the Bearcats down the alley and fired in a goal at the top of the net for the record-breaking goal that surpassed Sydney Tiemann's mark of 219 career scores.
 
The Bearcats opened the second before Dimovitz and Tomljenovic pushed the Saints advantage to 8-2. McKendree made a run and closed to 8-6. The Saints answered with four straight to end the half. Murphy and Dimovitz scored one goal apiece before Tomljenovic converted back-to-back chances before the break.
 
Murphy and Bae struck to begin the third frame before the Bearcats answered. Murphy and Jada Crispin picked up goals as the Saints stretched the margin to 16-8 at the end of the third. Bae tallied another to open the fourth. McKendree never got closer than seven goals and the Saints put the game out of reach with three consecutive scored in the fourth.
 
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Goals: Paige Murphy - 7
Assists: Emmery Clark - 2
Points: Paige Murphy - 8
Ground Balls: three players - 3
Caused Turnovers: Haley Ritchie - 2
Draw Controls: Paige Murphy - 8
Saves: Christina Bae - 7
 
RECORDS
No. 9 Maryville: 8-2, 1-0 GLVC
McKendree: 8-3, 0-1 GLVC
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Saints take on No. 3 Indianapolis in an important clash among ranked GLVC squads Friday, April 10, in a 2 pm. (CT) / 3 p, (ET) start at Key Stadium on the UIndy campus.