Radford, Va. - The Youngstown State women's lacrosse team would conclude their non-conference slate with an 18-8 victory over Radford on Saturday afternoon at the Student Outdoor Recreation Complex.
The victory marks the fourth-consecutive win for the Penguins, which ties the second-longest winning streak in program history. Their longest is five-straight wins, which was achieved to conclude the 2022 regular season.
YSU's 5-3 record ties the program's best start through eight games in program history, which also occurred during the 2022 season.
The five wins this season against non-conference opponents has set a new single-season program-record.
Seven different Penguins scored multiple goals, led once again by Katie Grottenthaler, who scored three goals.
This marks four-straight games that Grottenthaler has recorded a hat trick, the first time a Penguin has achieved that feat since Ali Korin did so in 2023.
Genna Cooke, Lena Cox, Ally Garrett, Ava Kreutzer, Brooke Peck, and Mia Yuris added two goals each, while Claire Baenziger, Sami Drew, and Grace Rund each scored one goal.
Cox also tied a season-high three-assists, giving her a game-high five points. This was the third time this season that she has dished out three assists, with each occurrence happening within the last four games.
Ava Kreutzer led the team with three ground balls, while Mia Stahl had a team-high two caused turnovers.
Brooke Harper had an exceptional game in the cage, garnering a season-high 10 saves through the first three quarters in the cage, while only allowing six goals. Kara Goertz played the final quarter in the cage, saving four shots while only allowing two goals.
Statement from Coach Harris on today's victory:
"This was a great way to finish a great week. Players came out fired up and were able to control the game from the beginning and worked hard not to give that up. From draw team to offense and defense, everyone played up their abilities and that's what we want to see".
The Penguins came out red-hot to begin the opening quarter, striking for the game's first three goals, all coming within the first four minutes of the game. Sami Drew was the first Penguin to score, getting YSU on the board with 13:15 remaining in the first quarter. Brooke Peck gave the Penguins a two-goal advantage just 20 seconds later at the 12:55 mark, and Katie Grottenthaler made the score 3-0 just over one minute after Peck's goal, giving YSU a three-goal lead with 11:44 remaining in the opening quarter. Radford's offense found a rhythm shortly after, scoring the next two goals of the quarter to cut the deficit down to one at the 4:31 mark. Lena Cox would snap YSU's scoring drought of over eight minutes as she scored with 2:02 remaining in the opening quarter, and she was followed up by Katie Grottenthaler, who netted her second goal of the quarter at the 1:18 mark to wrap up the first-quarter scoring with YSU's clinging onto a 5-2 lead.
For the second time this week, Ava Kretzer scored the opening two goals of the second quarter. Like Monday vs. Wofford, Kreuzter gave the Penguins offense a powerful start to the second quarter of action, scoring at the 14:12 mark, then shortly after with 11:02 remaining in the quarter. Both of Kreutzer goals were assisted by Lena Cox. The Penguins would add some extra cushion to their lead to begin the quarter with a goal from Genna Cooke at the 6:21 mark, followed by Brooke Peck's second goal of the game at the 5:08 mark of the quarter to give YSU a 6-0 run spanning from the first quarter. Radford would snap their scoreless drought of 15:57 with a Mady Cheney goal with 3:34 remaining in the quarter, making the score 9-3. YSU would add two more goals before the half, Claire Baenziger's first with 3:00 remaining, and Genna Cooke's second of the half with just 1 seconds remaining until the break, giving YSU an 11-3 lead.
The 11 first-half goals for the Penguins were their most in the first half of a game all season, and the second-highest number of goals that they have scored in any half this season, only trialing their 12 second-half goals vs. Butler on Feb. 28.
The second half started with two more goals for YSU, as Ally Garrett started the second-half scoring just 40 seconds into the third quarter, making the score 12-3, and Grottenthaler took advantage of the Penguins being a player-up, netting her third goal of the game with 12:29 remaining to push the lead out to 13-3. Radford would put an end to the Penguins 4-0 run at the 10:58 mark of the third quarter, before the two teams would trade goals for the rets of the quarter. The Penguins would get goals from Garett at the 10:44 mark, Cox at the 7:24 mark, and their final goal of the quarter was from Grace Rund with just 1:05 remaining in the quarter, which helped give YSU a 16-6 lead through 45 minutes.
The Penguins scored the first two goals of the fourth quarter, both coming from Mia Yuris, to give YSU their largest lead of the day at 18-6 with just 5:23 remaining, before Radford would score the game's final two goals, giving the Penguins an 18-8 victory.
YSU dominated the draw control battle 20-7. This marks the third-consecutive game that the Penguins have been favored in draw controls, after winning the category battle just once through the first five games of the season.
The Penguins will return home to begin Mid-American Conference play vs. Akron on Sunday, Mar. 16. The opening draw is scheduled for 12 p.m. The game will be the first home game for YSU this season that will be played outdoors at Farmers National Bank Field, after the first four home games of the season were played indoors at the Watson and Tressel Training Site. Fans in attendance will receive a YSU Women's Lacrosse t-shirt, courtesy of Mercy Health, Dunkin, HBK and Avalon Downtown.
For news and updates throughout the 2025 women's lacrosse season, follow @YSUwlax on X .
