LAKE FOREST, Ill. - After mustering just six goals against an excellent Aurora team on Saturday, the Firebirds rediscovered their rhythm offensively against the Foresters in Illinois tonight. Carthage won 16-7 behind six goals from its excellent fifth-year senior, Maddie Berni. 



 

• Final score: Carthage 16, Lake Forest 7
• Location: Mohr Field - Lake Forest, Illinois
• Records: Carthage 7-3, Lake Forest 1-6

 

• After a disappointing performance offensively against Aurora on Saturday, the Firebirds came out hot against Lake Forest. Carthage scored the first three goals of the night in just over five minutes of game action. 
• Lake Forest answered shortly after Elizabeth Oda netted Carthage's third goal of the night, bringing Carthage's lead back to two. Rachel Harris and Maddie Berni each scored to close the first period, putting the Firebirds ahead 5-1 after one. 
• Maddie Berni opened the second period with a goal, netting one at the 12:31 mark to give Carthage a 6-1 lead on the road. 
• LeFevre, Heitschmidt, and Harris followed Berni's lead, each converting within just 1:30 of game time to balloon the Firebirds' lead to 9-1. 
• The Foresters answered Carthage's offensive explosion with a goal of its' own at the 1:29 mark before another conversion from Rachel Harris reestablished her team's eight-goal advantage. Carthage led 10-2 after the first half of lacrosse. 
• Lake Forest found a groove offensively to begin the second half, scoring five unanswered goals within a five-minute period of time to chisel Carthage's lead to 10-7. The home team also played excellent defense throughout the period, only surrendering a single goal to Carthage - coming off the stick of Maddie Berni in a woman-up opportunity with only :33 ticks remaining in the period. 
• Carthage's defense tightened up after a lackluster third period, allowing only four shots and no goals in the fourth. Lake Forest turned the ball over seven times in the final 15 minutes of play as Carthage capitalized. The Firebirds scored five times in the fourth to further the separation between the two teams - leading to Carthage's 16-7 road victory. 

 

• Fifth-year senior Maddie Berni was superb all night, scoring six goals while recording two assists, three ground balls, and four caused turnovers. Berni's eight points led both teams, as the senior scored on six of her seven shots on goal. 
• Piper LeFevre played well for Coach Congel, registering six points with three goals and three assists. LeFevre led the Firebirds in assists. 
• Rachel Harris and Elizabeth Oda each netted three goals for Carthage. 
• Hannah Koehlert was tied for the team lead in ground balls, tying Maddie Berni with three. 
• Veteran goalkeeper Alessandra Almendarez allowed only seven goals in 60 minutes in goal tonight, saving eight shots. The majority of Lake Forest's goals came in the third period; outside of the third period, Almendarez surrendered only two goals. 

"Really proud of the girls today for a great team win," beamed Carthage Firebirds interim head women's lacrosse coach Rebecca Congel.

"Our draw unit - Maddie Berni, Piper LeFevre, and Rachel Harris, and Kyleigh Higgins - showed up in some big moments for us. Berni had some really great goals and showed experience on the field tonight."

"[Elizabeth] Oda showed up for us as well tonight - had a lot of goals. Piper and Rachel were stellar as well, helping forward our attack."

"Our defense did a great job, as well. [Alessandra Almendarez] came up with some great saves for us in goal."

"Super proud of the girls - really excited and looking forward to the next one."



 

• Berni and the Firebirds will travel to La Crosse, Wisconsin this weekend for a matchup with UW-La Crosse. The game will be played on Saturday, April 1 beginning at 3 p.m.