MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – For the second day in a row the Carthage College Lady Reds lacrosse team used a hot start to propel them to victory.  This time, it was at the expense of Augsburg College who felt the Lady Reds wrath in a 16-7 Carthage win Sunday at Edor Nelson Field.
 
The win marks the conclusion of the Lady Reds' 2016 non-conference schedule with the Lady Reds going 6-3 including 4-2 on their current seven-game road swing.  The loss drops Augsburg to 7-3 this season.
 
Carthage controlled most of the game with a 31-17 edge on shots and 24-15 on target.  The Lady Reds also found success once they took possession of the ball, clearing 20-of-27 opportunities compared to Augsburg's inability to clear as the Lady Reds held the Auggies to just 13 clears on 31 chances.
 
Kendell Santin setup the opening goal as she found Rachel Mussell for the first goal of the match just over two minutes into the game to grab a quick 1-0 lead.  After Augsburg tied the game at 1-1 with 26:11 remaining in the first half it was all Lady Reds the rest of the half, outscoring Augsburg 7-1 the rest of the way behind three goals from Kara Vana, two more from Mussell, and one each from Maddie Griffin and Mackenzie Day.  Augsburg cut the lead to 8-2 at the half as they Auggies scored with one second remaining in the half.
 
It looked as though the late first half goal could be the start of something for the Auggies who came out and scored in the opening minute of the second half to cut the deficit to five at 8-3.  However, the Lady Reds wouldn't let them get any closer as Carthage pushed the lead to as many as ten late in the second half before the Lady Reds walked away with the nine-goal victory.
 
Mussell finished with a game-high five goals in the game, tying for her career-high which she accomplished for the third time in just two seasons at Carthage.  Mackenzie Day, Maddie Griffin and Kara Vana each tallied a hat-trick, while Shannon Long and Santin each added one goal apiece.  The hat-tricks by Griffin and Vana keep the duo one goal apart for the most on the team, with Griffin at 25 goals on the season and Vana at 24.
 
Goalkeeper Taylor Sopron made eight saves over the 60 minutes in goal to earn her fifth win of the season and move to 5-2 on the year in the cage.
 
While the road trip continues Saturday, April 9th for the Lady Reds, the stakes are raised as the Lady Reds open the 2016 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin  schedule in six days, starting at Elmhurst College to close the road trip at Langhorst Field at 1:00 PM.