SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - The Blue Devils built separation in the second and third quarters, turning a 4–4 game after the first into a 14–8 lead early in the fourth. Lawrence Tech outscored Kalamazoo 9–4 over the middle two quarters, capitalizing on four power-play goals and multiple free-position chances while holding the Hornets without a man-up tally. Kalamazoo netted three goals in the final minute, including a late strike from Sophie Hartl, but the rally came too late to erase the Blue Devils' cushion.
Walendzak led all scorers with eight goals and one assist on 14 shots, including a free-position man-up finish that stretched the margin to 13–7 in the third quarter. She opened the scoring of the first quarter off a feed from Mari Pellmann and later set up a short-handed goal by Audrey Durham in the third, pushing Lawrence Tech's lead to 10–7. By the end of the third quarter, the Blue Devils had turned a 9–7 halftime edge into a 13–8 advantage.
Pellmann provided a major boost as well with three goals and two assists on five shots. Her power-play goal of the second quarter made it 6–4 and highlighted a key special-teams stretch in which Lawrence Tech converted repeatedly with the extra player. Pellmann added a fourth-quarter goal to give the Blue Devils their largest lead at 14–8, a margin that ultimately held despite Kalamazoo's late surge.
Kalamazoo relied on a balanced attack to stay in contact. Hartl finished with four goals, while playmakers Ella Spooner and Abbie Caza each recorded two goals and three assists. The Hornets matched the Blue Devils early, pulling even at 4–4 on a first-quarter goal from Jordan Doyle, then trimming the deficit to 9–7 late in the second on Hartl's strike with 1:30 left. The visitors also controlled the draw circle with a 17–7 advantage in draw controls, but Lawrence Tech's pressure defense forced 23 Kalamazoo turnovers, undercutting that possession edge.
In goal, Madison Gugala anchored the Blue Devils with four saves on 24 shots as Lawrence Tech limited Kalamazoo to 15 shots on target despite the Hornets' late push. At the other end, Kalamazoo goalkeeper Kaitlyn Grice turned away nine of 23 shots on goal in a 29-shot outing for the Blue Devils. Lawrence Tech finished with 32 ground balls to Kalamazoo's 25 and went a perfect 4-for-4 on power-play chances while not allowing a power-play goal.
The win gives the Blue Devils an early-season home boost as they navigate a schedule that includes upcoming road contest at Ave Maria University. With Walendzak and Pellmann pacing a productive offense and special teams converting efficiently, Lawrence Tech enters that stretch with momentum from a complete performance against Kalamazoo.
