On a historic Thursday afternoon at Titan Field, the Eastern Michigan University lacrosse team delivered a dominant performance that rewrote the program’s record books. The Eagles (7-4, 2-0 MAC) dismantled the University of Detroit Mercy Titans (0-7, 0-2 MAC) with a 17-4 road victory, marking their fourth consecutive win over their in-state rivals. This victory not only extended EMU’s best start in program history but also featured a 13-goal margin of victory, tying the school record for the largest win ever.
A historic first-half shutout
The Eagles wasted no time asserting their dominance, jumping out to a 9-0 lead by halftime. This performance marked the first time in program history that Eastern Michigan held an opponent scoreless for an entire half of play. The defensive unit, led by goalkeeper Maddy Porter, was impenetrable early on; Porter played the first 41:06 of the contest, recording four saves and allowing zero goals before the Titans finally broke through late in the third quarter.
Offensive explosion and the 14-goal surge
The Eagles' offense was equally relentless, scoring 14 consecutive goals to open the game. This shattered the previous program record for the longest scoring streak, which had been nine goals. The scoring began early in the first quarter when Tracy Grollman found the back of the net off an assist from Mackenzie Blackwell.
The Eagles were particularly effective on the woman-up advantage, scoring three such goals in the first quarter alone and finishing with six for the game. By the time Katheryn Wilson netted a spectacular no-look, behind-the-back goal with four minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Eagles had built a commanding 14-0 lead.
Leading the charge: Key individual performances
Ten different Eagles found the scoresheet, highlighting the team's depth. Emerson Henry was a standout performer, tying her career-high with five points on three goals and two assists. Henry has now recorded at least two goals in six consecutive games, and her six draw controls against the Titans were a game-high.
Mackenzie Blackwell continued her prolific season, securing her eighth hat trick of the year and the 38th of her career. With three goals in the contest, Blackwell now holds the top four single-season scoring marks in EMU history. Meanwhile, Tracy Grollman, the program’s career leader in assists, added two goals and two helpers, marking the third time this season she has recorded multiple goals and assists in a single game.
Milestones for the new generation
The lopsided score allowed several younger players to reach significant milestones. Redshirt freshman Reagan Riemer scored her first career goal in the fourth quarter and added an assist to record her first multi-point game. Similarly, Alex Paterson, who redshirted last season, tallied her first collegiate goal at the 8:08 mark of the final period. Freshman Emma Reichert also continued her efficient scoring trend, netting two goals for the fourth time this season.
Defensive dominance and special teams
The Eagle defense tied a program record by allowing only four goals, matching the defensive intensity seen in previous high-water marks for the program. EMU dominated the statistical categories, outshooting the Titans 39-12 and winning the ground ball battle 20-11.
Looking ahead: A championship rematch
With the victory, EMU has established itself as a frontrunner in the MAC. However, a significant challenge looms on the horizon. The Eagles will travel to Akron, Ohio, on April 11 to face the University of Akron. This matchup is a highly anticipated rematch of the 2025 MAC Tournament semifinals, where the Zips ended EMU's season with a 16-4 win. As two of the three teams that shared the 2025 MAC regular-season title, this contest will likely have major implications for the 2026 conference standings.
