SOUTHFIELD, Mich. --- The Life University women's lacrosse team found themselves in a battle at the NAIA Tournament for their quarterfinals match against instate foe, No. 4 Reinhardt Wednesday afternoon, trading leads over the course of the game, but coming out on the wrong side of the scoreboard to see their season end in a 15-14 loss.

Life U (15-6) allowed a quick goal to start the game, but found a quick answer from the stick of reliable freshman Nicole Ortiz to lock things up at 1-1 with 13:07 to go in the first. After another Reinhardt (14-2) goal gave them the lead back, the Running Eagles ran off three-straight scores from Angie Forbes, Erika Morgan and Nina Sutton, two of the scores being assisted by Maria Arvizu to see Life U up 4-2 late in the first. The Eagles answered with a three goal run of their own to take a 5-4 lead into the second quarter of play. Yet another three goal run opened the second quarter, Life U pushing ahead into a 7-5 lead as Forbes scored twice over the stretch. Similar to the first quarter, the final minutes of the second went against Life U, Reinhardt scoring the final four goals of the half to take a 9-7 lead into the break. 

Reinhardt recorded the first goal of the second half to take their largest lead of the game at 10-7. Arvizu found the back of the net in quick succession to pull the Running Eagles back to within a single scores, 10-9, with 9:14 left in the third. After the deficit moved back to two scores, Forbes and Sutton made strong moves towards the net to earn a pair of goals and tie the game at 11-11 midway through the third. The teams traded goals before an Eagles goal in the final seconds of the period saw them go into the final 15 of play with the lead. With both teams trying their hardest to clamp down on the other's attack the squads combined for their lowest scoring period in the fourth. Freshman Alyssa Curto tied the game 13-13 on an unassisted goal with just under 13 minutes to play, and then with less than three minutes to play and down a goal Sutton slid a goal in under the Reinhardt defenders to tie the contest again. With just over two minutes to play Reinhardt posted the final score of the game, Life U not getting another shot off to fall 15-14.

The Running Eagles were led by a strong offensive showing by Forbes, gathering a team high four goals, while Arvizu had another crazy stat line with three goals, four assists, two ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Sutton had her best offensive game at the most important time, posting her first hat trick of the season. Leanne Windon led all players on the defensive side with three caused turnovers to go with a pair of ground balls.

Life U played more aggressively on both sides of the field, taking more shots, 37-26, and causing more turnovers, 11-10, but found themselves trailing in ground balls picked up, 20-13, and saves, 8-5. The teams were nearly identical in clear effectiveness, the Running Eagles going 13-for-16 while Reinhardt was 14-for-17.

The loss sees the 2021-22 season come to a close for the Running Eagles as their focus will now shift to next season.