Central Michigan Edges Youngstown State in Tight Women's Lacrosse Match

Chippewas hold off late Penguins comeback to win 7-6 in Mid-American Conference clash

Apr. 12, 2026 at 11:52am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movements and competing forces of a women's lacrosse match, rendered in a bold, cubist style.A cubist interpretation of the intense back-and-forth action on the lacrosse field as Central Michigan and Youngstown State battled for conference supremacy.Youngstown Today

Central Michigan University women's lacrosse team defeated Youngstown State 7-6 in a tight Mid-American Conference matchup on April 11, 2026. The Chippewas built an early 5-2 lead at halftime, led by a hat trick from Anna Farrar, but had to hold off a late Youngstown State comeback attempt in the second half.

Why it matters

This was an important conference win for Central Michigan, who had not won since their previous victory over Detroit Mercy. The game also extended the Chippewas' winning streak against Youngstown State, a key Mid-American Conference rival.

The details

Central Michigan established control early, holding Youngstown State scoreless for over 25 minutes to build a 5-2 halftime lead. Anna Farrar scored a hat trick in the first half, while Mia Bradley and Elyse DeFrank also found the net for the Chippewas. Defensively, Ava Regitz tied the program record with six caused turnovers, and goalkeeper Leila Kahler made 10 saves. Youngstown State mounted a comeback in the second half, with Mia Yuris scoring a hat trick, but Central Michigan held on for the narrow 7-6 victory.

  • The game took place on April 11, 2026.
  • Central Michigan had not won since their previous home victory over Detroit Mercy.

The players

Anna Farrar

A Central Michigan player who scored a hat trick in the first half of the game.

Mia Bradley

A Central Michigan player who scored a goal in the first half.

Elyse DeFrank

A Central Michigan player who scored a goal in the first half.

Ava Regitz

A Central Michigan player who tied the program record with six caused turnovers, five of which came in the first half.

Leila Kahler

The Central Michigan goalkeeper who recorded 10 saves and a .625 save percentage, a career-high for a single game.

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What they’re saying

“I thought we played with a lot of passion, I think there's definitely more things that, of course, we could clean up, I think we could have played a lot better than we did, but I'm super proud that we were able to pull it out in the end.”

— Katie Vahle, Central Michigan head coach

The takeaway

This tight conference matchup showcased Central Michigan's ability to build an early lead and then hold off a late comeback attempt from a rival Youngstown State team. The Chippewas' defensive effort, led by Ava Regitz and Leila Kahler, proved crucial in securing the narrow victory.