Marquette Women’s Lacrosse Preview: vs Central Michigan

Who’s ready for some lacrosse?!

Marquette women’s lacrosse returns to action after a two win weekend weekend last time they were in action. Both wins were in relatively easy fashion, at least in the second half for sure, and the two wins evened MU’s record at two wins and two losses on the season.

Speaking of their losses on the year, one of them was an 11-10 defeat on the road against Central Michigan in a game that was thrown together after both teams lost a game against Notre Dame. In that one, MU pulled within two with seven minutes to go, and then got it within one with three minutes left. I point this out, of course, because that same Central Michigan team is coming to Milwaukee on Friday afternoon for the previously scheduled game that MU had with the Chippewas.

Marquette was lucky to be winning 6-5 at the half in the first meeting, as CMU had outshot them 21-11 in the first 30 minutes. Then MU was doing all the hot shooting, or at least the voluminous shooting, getting the best of the Chippewas to the tune of 16 shots to eight. However, six of those eight shots went in for CMU, and that’s how they outscored MU 6-4 in the final 30 minutes.

While it’s reasonable to think that Marquette could have won the game under the circumstances in which it was played, there remains a gigantic question hovering over the proceedings. Marquette’s Megan Menzuber was ejected from the game on a second yellow card with 6:44 left in the first half and things knotted up at four goals each. Menzuber is one of just five women in MU history to rack up 140 career points. The Minnesota native has game totals this season of six goals, five goals, and three goals.... but is averaging one goal per game in contests where she gets slapped with two yellow cards.

Like I said: A big question hovering.

What will be the impact of Menzuber getting to go a full 60 minutes against the Chippewas? Is that enough to turn the tide for the Golden Eagles this time around? Or did they hammer out enough of their problems while pounding down Oregon and Kent State last weekend that they won’t need to lean on Menzuber to secure a win against the Chippewas at Valley Fields?

Game #5: vs Central Michigan Chippewas (2-1)

Date: Friday, March 5, 2021
Time: 1:30pm Central
Location: Andy Glockner Memorial Bubble, Valley Fields, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Streaming: GoMarquette.com
Live Stats: @MarquetteWLax

Marquette is 4-2 all time against Central Michigan. The Chippewas have won two out of the last three meetings in the series, including earlier this season in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. However, both of CMU’s wins happened on their home field, and all of Marquette’s home wins have been by at least 10 goals.

Central Michigan has gone 1-1 since beating the Golden Eagles back on February 21st. They lost their next game, three days later, on the road against Vanderbilt. The ‘Dores won 16-10, but it was only 12-10 with five minutes to play. After that, four days later, they hosted Oregon. That’s the same Ducks squad that Marquette roared through last weekend, and in fact, CMU’s game happened after MU’s. The Chippewas won, 12-11, but it went to overtime after Oregon scored two goals about ninety seconds apart to tie the thing up at 11 with 6:33 to go.

Tyra Prince is the one who scored the golden goal to win it for Central Michigan, which is a bit of a surprise. It was only her second goal of the season but was also her second of the game. Natalie Karlen had two goals and an assist against Marquette earlier this year, and she’s now atop the CMU leaderboards with 10 goals and three assists. Audrey Whiteside was a terror against the Golden Eagles’ defense with four goals and a helper, but she’s only added four more goals — two in each game — in Central Michigan’s two games since then.

Sierra Savage has stayed in net all season long for the Chippewas. After making eight saves to get the win against Marquette in the opener, she made nine in the loss to Vanderbilt and seven in the win against the Ducks.