ELMHURST, Ill. -- The Augsburg University women's lacrosse team fell to Elmhurst College 14-5 in a nonconference game on Sunday at Langhorst Field. Despite the loss, Augsburg's defense recorded 15 saves throughout the contest, with goalkeeper Nicole Schuster contributing significantly by adding six ground balls and two caused turnovers.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Elmhurst (Ill.) 14, Augsburg 5
LOCATION: Langhorst Field, Elmhurst, Ill.
RECORDS: Augsburg 0-3 overall, Elmhurst 3-4 overall

GAME RECAP
The game between Augsburg and Elmhurst began with Elmhurst quickly taking control, scoring the first goal at 14:18 with an assist from Grace Lorkiewicz. Augsburg's Emma Ryan secured a draw control soon after, complementing her performance with an assist, three ground balls, and two draw controls, but turnovers hindered further progress. Schuster was active in goal, making multiple saves, including key stops at 9:50 and 5:02, despite pressure from Elmhurst's offense. Elmhurst extended its lead with goals at 3:17 and 0:13. The first quarter concluded with Augsburg trailing 3–0.

Augsburg faced a challenging second quarter, initially struggling with turnovers and failed clear attempts. Elmhurst capitalized on these opportunities, scoring three goals, including a player-down goal by Olivia Ingraffia and another by Zoe Valdevenito, with assists from Lorkiewicz. Augsburg's defense was highlighted by Schuster's multiple saves, and the team managed to regain some momentum in the final moments. Breya Sawyer scored Augsburg's first goal of the game with an assist from Ryan during a player-up advantage, concluding the quarter with a 6–1 lead for the Bluejays. Sawyer's performance was notable as she now leads the team with eight goals and two assists for 10 points on the season, along with leading the team in draw controls with three in this game.

Augsburg struggled to gain momentum in the third quarter, initially securing a draw control by Sawyer at 12:56 but facing challenges with turnovers and failed clear attempts. Despite several efforts, including a shot on goal by Ryan that went high and a wide free-position shot by Isabella Kohout, Augsburg was unable to score. Kohout, however, contributed defensively with three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Elmhurst capitalized on its opportunities, extending its lead with goals from Valdevenito and Lorkiewicz.

Augsburg initiated a rally in the fourth quarter with Leila Klym scoring at 12:00, assisted by Ava Sosa, to close the gap. This momentum continued as Sawyer added a goal at 10:08, with an assist from Klym, followed by Astrid Clem's goal at 09:54, assisted by Sawyer. Klym's contributions included a ground ball and a draw control. Despite these efforts, Elmhurst's scoring streak, including goals from Ashley Kay and Ingraffia, allowed it to maintain the lead. Kohout scored for the Auggies at 01:42, but the game ended with Elmhurst prevailing 14–5.

AUGSBURG PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
• Breya Sawyer: 2 goals, 1 assist, 1 man-up goal, 3 shots on goal, 3 draw controls  
• Nicole Schuster, 15 saves on 45 shots, 6 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers  
• Isabella Kohout: 1 goal, 3 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers  
• Leila Klym: 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 ground ball, 1 draw control  

ELMHURST PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS
• Grace Lorkiewicz: 2 goals, 3 assists  
• Ashley Kay: 2 goals, 1 assist  
• Olivia Ingraffia: 3 goals  
• Zoe Valdevenito: 3 goals, 2 assists  
• Hannah Jacob: 3 goals  

UP NEXT
 Augsburg will host Cornell College in a rescheduled game at Edor Nelson Field in Minneapolis on Thursday, March 19. The matchup is set to begin at 6 p.m.