TicketsYPSILANTI, Mich. — Sophomore Morgan Handzel delivered a historic performance in the draw circle Sunday, tying the NCAA single-game record with 24 draw controls to lead the Cincinnati lacrosse team to a 16-9 victory over Eastern Michigan at Scicluna Field.
The record-tying effort also shattered Handzel's own program record of 16, which she had set just two days earlier in a win over Kent State on Friday.
After the Eagles struck first in the opening minutes, the Bearcats took over from there. Cincinnati countered with an 8-0 run — fueled by sophomore Paige Selhorn's three goals and two assists — that spanned the rest of the first quarter and through the midway point of the second. That dominant run allowed UC's lead to remain comfortable the remainder of the contest.
The Bearcats' offense was led by sophomore Alyse Keels, who netted five goals, and Selhorn, who totaled seven points on four goals and three assists. Senior Lexie Wolfe and freshman Payton Kozina both added hat tricks. The Eagles' offense was paced by Mackenzie Blackwell, who had three goals.
Led by Handzel, Cincinnati dominated the draw circle, tying a program record set in 2012 with 26 team draw controls compared to Eastern Michigan's one. The Bearcats also outshot the Eagles 24-17.
Eastern Michigan took the lead early in the first quarter on a Blackwell goal, but it was short-lived. Selhorn sparked a 4-0 run capped by an impressive one-on-one finish from Keels to give Cincinnati a 4-1 lead at the end of the quarter.
Cincinnati's momentum carried into the second, where the Bearcats went on another 4-0 run highlighted by a Kozina goal off a Selhorn feed to push the lead to 8-1. Wolfe and Selhorn connected again to close out the half, advancing Cincinnati's lead to 9-2.
The third quarter saw the Eagles begin to chip away, opening with two straight goals. The Bearcats countered with back-to-back scores of their own and carried an 11-5 lead into the fourth.
Cincinnati's offense got rolling again in the fourth, scoring four consecutive goals — highlighted by Keels' fifth of the game — to take a 15-5 lead and put the contest out of reach.
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The Bearcats return home to host Louisville on Thursday, March 12, at 12 p.m. ET at Nippert Stadium.
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