ST. PAUL, Minn. — Starting 1-0 for the first time since the team's inaugural season in 2021, Griffon Lacrosse opened the 2024 campaign with a 14-11 victory over Concordia-St. Paul on Sunday inside the Concordia Dome.

Missouri Western (1-0) started the game down early, finding itself facing a 5-2 deficit at the 8:07 mark. After a 3-0 run that featured goals by Serah Ryals, Maleah Sosa and Clare Sondrall, Western found itself with a tie game at 5-5. Despite two more goals by CSP (0-1), a 4-0 run spearheaded Mikaela Ness, Brooke Tjerlund and Brinley Willenbrock was capped with a go-ahead goal by Sam Pruitt. This put MWSU out in front for good, leading the Griffons to a 9-7 halftime lead. 

Western outpaced CSP 5-4 in the second half, as Ness notched her third goal of the game with 4:47 left to play to place the exclamation point on a 14-11 win. Pruitt led MWSU's offense with a game-high six points, four goals and two assists. Grace Williams led the Griffs with four caused turnovers, and goalkeeper Mackenzie Porter notched a game-high seven ground balls while picking up five saves.

NOTABLES

• Seven different Griffons scored on Sunday.
• Pruitt, Sondrall and Ness all recorded hat-tricks.
• Ness notched a game-high seven draw controls.
• Two of MWSU's goals occurred while the Griffs were a woman down.
• Western outshot CSP 28-22 overall and 22-16 on goal.
• The Griffs won the ground-ball battle 29-23.
• Western won 18 of the 28 draw controls.
• The Griffons are now 2-1 all-time vs. CSP.
• This is the first time MWSU has opened the season 1-0 while starting against an NCAA Division II team.

UP NEXT
Western will host its home opener Saturday, Feb. 18, at 12 p.m. against McKendree inside Spratt Stadium. This will be McKendree's first game of 2024.

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