SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - Lawrence Tech broke the game open in the first quarter and never let up, defeating Aquinas 20-1 at Blue Devils Stadium in Southfield. The Blue Devils scored 11 times in the opening quarter, built a 17-0 lead by late in the second, and put the result out of reach long before Sydney Garon's fourth-quarter goal closed the scoring.
Morgan Waligora set the tone early and often for Lawrence Tech. Waligora opened the scoring at 12:55 of the first quarter, then added another with 12 seconds left in the quarter to finish off the Blue Devils' 11-goal burst. She ended the day with four goals, three assists, five shots and five ground balls. Alyson Walendzak also turned in a big afternoon with three goals and three assists, while Garon scored three times and put seven of her eight shots on goal.
The Blue Devils moved the ball efficiently from the outset. Mari Pellmann scored at 11:56 of the first quarter off an assist from Jocelyn Vander Zwaag, and Walendzak followed with a goal at 8:31, also assisted by Vander Zwaag, shortly after an Aquinas green card. Lawrence Tech kept adding pressure through draws, loose balls and transition chances, finishing with a 39-3 edge in shots, a 32-2 advantage in shots on goal, 28 ground balls and 16 draw controls.
The second quarter brought more of the same. Garon scored 19 seconds into the period at 13:41 to make it 12-0, Tiyanna Thomas added another at 11:35, and Angela Messina converted at 9:49 on an assist from Waligora. Audrey Durham pushed the lead to 17-0 with 2:55 left in the half, again off a Waligora assist. Lawrence Tech finished with just 10 turnovers, while Aquinas committed 24, a reflection of the Blue Devils' steady control of possession and field position.
Lawrence Tech continued to press after halftime. McKenna VanZant scored at 10:36 of the third quarter, and Emma Barton added a free-position goal at 7:19 for a 19-0 advantage. Aquinas avoided the shutout when Violet Mead scored with 5:32 left in the third, accounting for the visitors' only goal on just three total shots. Lawrence Tech's defense allowed only two shots on goal, and the Blue Devils were credited with one save while limiting Aquinas' clear attempts and second chances.
Garon's goal with 10:58 remaining in the fourth quarter, assisted by Waligora, made it 20-1 and capped the afternoon. Aquinas goalkeeper play kept the final margin from growing larger, as the Saints were credited with 12 saves. Still, the Blue Devils controlled nearly every phase, from the opening draw to the final whistle.