ST. LOUIS – GLVC Midfielder of the Year Olivia Bladon exploded for eight goals on Friday, leading the seventh-ranked and second-seeded UIndy women's lacrosse team to a 12-9 victory over Rockhurst in the league semifinal on the campus of Maryville University.
 
The Greyhounds are in search of their seventh straight conference crown, including their fifth consecutive GLVC title. UIndy is the only champion the GLVC knows, as it has claimed each of the four championships since the league began sponsoring the sport in 2020*.
 
In addition to her career-high eight goals, Bladon surpassed 100 draw controls for the season with five wins against the Hawks. The junior also recorded two caused turnovers and a pair of ground balls.
 

GOING TO THE 'SHIP! ??

UIndy 1??2??
Rockhurst 9?? pic.twitter.com/40Xlnbxx5x

— UIndyWLax (@UIndyWLax) May 2, 2025

INS & OUTS
Dealing with adversity after having their first two goals called back – including one for Bladon – the Greyhounds snagged a 5-4 halftime advantage on the heels of some great defensive play. Kendall Conrad knotted the game at four apiece with under five minutes left after Rockhurst's first failed clear. Bladon then scored her second goal of the afternoon to put UIndy ahead with 11 seconds before the break on a play kept alive by Conrad's offensive ground ball.
 

Kendall takes it herself!

4-4 with less than five minutes until halftime. pic.twitter.com/dCjqundwTo

— UIndyWLax (@UIndyWLax) May 2, 2025

The Hawks, ranked fifth in the latest NCAA DII Midwest Region rankings, did not fold, charging back twice during the third quarter to even the score. Bladon sandwiched a three-goal scoring run with Sage Da Silva finding the back of the cage for the final score of the third, raising the UIndy lead to 10-7. Bladon tacked on two more in the fourth quarter – the advantage stretching to four with under seven minutes remaining – to seal the victory.
 
Malaena Michielin, who technically scored the team's first goal, controlled play in the midfield with four caused turnovers, three ground balls, and two draw controls. The junior also assisted on Da Silva's third-quarter goal to capitalize on the woman-up opportunity.
 
Junior Lylian Iman got the call on Friday in place of Ava Graham, making four saves between the pipes in just her second career start.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
- UIndy, which entered the game with the third-best clearing percentage in the country, went a perfect 17 for 17 to raise its season mark to an impressive 92.8 clip.
- Freshman defender Hadlee DeCampos, named All-GLVC Second Team earlier in the week, scooped up a game-high four ground balls.
- The Greyhounds were carded five times compared to the Hawks' three infractions; Rockhurst also received six free-position attempts against UIndy's lone chance.
- Emily Ghazal dished out two assists in the win, finding Michielin and Bladon in their first and sixth goal of the day, respectively.
 
MORE NOTES
The Hounds now lead the all-time series, 7-0 … GLVC Freshman of the Year and DII leader in draw controls per game, Kylee Pickens, secured eight wins on Friday; she averages more than 9.5 draws per game this season … *because the 2020 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GLVC did not have its first official women's lacrosse champion until 2021.
 
UP NEXT
UIndy and Maryville will face off for the third straight year in the GLVC title game, set for Sunday at 12 p.m. ET in St. Louis. The Greyhounds ran past the top-seeded Saints a season ago to claim their fourth straight GLVC championship.