ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western State University women’s lacrosse team fell to Concordia-St. Paul 14-7 on Saturday, marking the start of the Griffons’ 2026 season.
The Golden Bears established an early lead, scoring the game’s first four goals. Missouri Western responded with goals from sophomore midfielder Emily Hinrichs and senior attacker Aliyah Jackson, narrowing the gap to 4-2 midway through the first half. Concordia-St. Paul, yet, closed the half with another four-goal run, taking an 8-2 advantage into halftime.
Missouri Western came out stronger in the second half, scoring three consecutive goals – two from Jackson and one from freshman attacker Sydney Carter – to reduce the deficit to 8-5. Concordia-St. Paul answered with a five-goal surge of their own, extending their lead to 13-5. The Griffons added two more goals in the final minutes, bringing the final score to 14-7.
Aliyah Jackson led Missouri Western with three goals. Emily Hinrichs and Sydney Carter each contributed one goal apiece. Goalkeeper, sophomore Brianna McComb recorded 11 saves during the contest.
This game marks the beginning of the season for Missouri Western, following the conclusion of the 2025 NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Championship, won by MSU Denver, according to NCAA.com. The Missouri Western volleyball team also recently competed in the NCAA Tournament, facing St. Cloud State in the Central Region Quarterfinal Match, as reported by St. Cloud State University Athletics.
Missouri Western’s next game is scheduled for March 7th against Rockhurst University.
