MEQUON, Wis. — The first Oh Snap! Pickle Bowl belongs to Lawrence University. The Vikings delivered a dominant performance in the inaugural rivalry game Tuesday, rolling past Concordia University Wisconsin 4-1 at Fitting Field to claim the newly established traveling trophy.
The victory also marked a historic milestone for Lawrence head coach Joe Sagar, who tied the program's all-time record for coaching victories.
Lawrence set the tone immediately. Kylie Melonis scored just 43 seconds into the match, giving the Vikings a lead they would never relinquish.
The Vikings controlled the remainder of the opening half, holding Concordia Wisconsin to only two shots while carrying the 1-0 advantage into the break.
Lawrence broke the match open early in the second half. Hannah Kalt doubled the lead with a goal in the 53rd minute before setting up Ava Elders just two minutes later, pushing the margin to 3-0.
Concordia Wisconsin had an opportunity to cut into the deficit with a penalty kick in the 68th minute, but the attempt missed. The Falcons scored less than a minute later when Gabbie Hetzel found the net to make it 3-1.
Any hopes of a comeback were quickly shut down. Kalt connected with Melonis in the 77th minute, and Melonis buried her second goal of the match to restore Lawrence's three-goal advantage and put the inaugural Pickle Bowl out of reach.
The Vikings dominated the final numbers, outshooting the Falcons 16-6 and placing 11 attempts on goal. Lawrence also generated five corner kicks while limiting Concordia Wisconsin to two.
Melonis led the attack with two goals, while Kalt produced one goal and two assists. Elders added a goal, and goalkeeper Ally Littau made three saves to secure the victory.
