SOUTHFIELD--In a matchup of the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, Lawrence Tech will host Madonna at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Blue Devils Stadium. Tickets are available
online and at the gate on gameday on a cashless basis. The general admission cost is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and $7 for children. Lawrence Tech students and staff are free with University ID.
The Blue Devils (10-4-3 overall, 7-3-1 WHAC) and Crusaders (9-7-2 overall, 6-4-1 WHAC) played to a scoreless tie in the regular season finale just on Saturday. Madonna outshot LTU, 15-5, and also held a 4-3 edge in corner kicks in the contest. Blue Devils goalkeeper
Gabi Nelson had six saves.
For the season, fifth-year senior forward
DiOnna Hill paces the LTU offense with 11 goals (including four game-winners) and 22 points. Junior forward
Maliea May adds six goals and 12 points, while sophomore midfielder
Abigail Gray also has 12 points on four goals and four assists. Senior forward
Jenny Dear is the squad's top playmakers with five assists (7 points). The defense is anchored by the aforementioned Nelson, a sophomore, who ranks third in WHAC save percentage (.833) and fourth in goals-against average (0.82). As a unit, LTU has recorded a school-record 10 shutouts for 13th (tie) in the nation.
For Madonna, Holly McManus and Karina Arnold lead the offense with scoring totals of 4-2-10 and 3-4-10. Veronica Kozak (809:42 minutes played, 0.78 GAA, .833 Save%, 4-1-2 W-L-T) and Mackenzie Fifer (765:00, 1.41, .733, 4-4-0) have platooned in the MU goal.
In a team comparison, Lawrence Tech (5-2-1 at home) has tallied 37 goals and allowed opponents 14, while Madonna (6-2-1 on the road) has scored 21 goals and given up 20. The Blue Devils have produced 233 shots and permitted 171; the Crusaders have gotten off 195 and yielded 190.
In other WHAC quarterfinal contests, No. 1 Siena Heights versus No. 8 UM-Dearborn, 7 p.m.; No. 2 Aquinas against No. 7 Indiana Tech, 7 p.m.; and No. 6 Rochester is at No. 3 Northwestern Ohio, 3 p.m. Semifinals will be played at the higher seed on Saturday, Nov. 4, and the WHAC Championship will be held at the higher seed on Saturday, Nov. 11.