SOUTHFIELD, Mich. --- The Life University women's lacrosse team's road trip continued today with a meeting against No. 1 Lawrence Tech, the Running Eagles making a fourth quarter push to get back into the game but were unable to bridge the gap, suffering their second loss to a team ranked number one this season.

Life U (11-3) answered an early Lawrence Tech (8-0) score with a goal by Nicole Ortiz to tie things with just over 10 minutes to go in what ended up being a low scoring first 15 minutes of play, the Running Eagles trailing 2-1 going into the second quarter. Again in the second quarter, Ortiz scored the Running Eagles only goal of the period as the Blue Devil advantaged grew to 5-2 by halftime. 

Ortiz completed her hat trick after the break, scoring the first goal of the second half, bringing the score to 5-3, but Lawrence Tech scored four unanswered to end the third with a sizable, 9-3, edge. In a deep hole and with only 15 minutes to play, the Running Eagles came alive in the fourth, scoring five goals to make the game much closer. Brianna Freeman scored all four of her goals in the fourth, while the other goal in the period was provided by Nina Sutton. Down three scores, 11-8, with only 1:25 to play, Lawrence Tech kept the ball away to see Life U suffer an 11-8 loss.

Freeman and Ortiz both recorded hat tricks, combining for seven of the team's eight scores. Lacy Legaspi provided great vision, assisting on three goals. Defensively, Maria Arvizu and Lexi Santiago had solid games, Arvizu recording five ground balls and three caused turnovers, while Santiago had four of both ground balls and caused turnovers.

Life U led in multiple defensive categories, holding an edge in caused turnovers, 13-9; ground balls, 21-18; and saves, 9-7. The Blue Devils took the lead in shots 27-22, and in clears where they went 19-for-20 compared to the Running Eagles' 19-for-25.

The Running Eagles road trip to the north ends Sunday with a game against Indiana Tech which is scheduled for 12 PM.