Northern Michigan University’s Josie Lakosky, second from right, takes a shot and scores while double-teamed by a pair of Concordia-St. Paul players in the first quarter of their GLIAC women’s lacrosse game played at the Superior Dome in Marquette on April 26. (Photo courtesy of Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — There’s no time like the present, lacrosse player Josie Lakosky of Northern Michigan University must be thinking.

That would help explain the fast start to her season she had over the weekend, when she pumped in 15 goals and added five assists for 20 points in two Wildcats’ wins to open the season in the Superior Dome.

Or it could be she’s just that good, so maybe this will become an average weekend for her.

Already the career leader at NMU in a number of statistical categories, the attacker who is still only a junior got the season off to a fast start as Northern downed Calvin University 20-10 on Friday and Northwood 20-4 on Sunday to begin 2-0.

For her efforts, she was named Offensive Player of the Week in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

After being named Freshman of the Year two seasons ago and Attacker of the Year last campaign, Lakosky is picking up right where she left off.

Against Calvin, the team captain scored eight goals, the most in any game of her already decorated collegiate career, then added three assists for 11 points. Two days later, she had seven more goals and a pair of assists.

Even when she didn’t have the ball, she scooped 11 ground balls, won 11 draw controls and caused six turnovers.

As of Monday, she led NCAA Division II with 7.50 goals per game, 10 points per game, 12 shots per game and 13 shots on goal per game, while claiming second with 2.00 free position goals per game.

And she leads the GLIAC with 8.00 draw controls per game and 5.00 ground balls per game.

All of this and she’s got two more home games against Illinois schools in the next 10 days, with Northern hosting McKendree at 3 p.m. Thursday before taking on Lewis at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26.

Here are some more details about NMU’s wins:

NMU 20, Calvin 10

On Friday afternoon and early evening, the Wildcats’ Avery Lorinser and Abby Sisson each contributed three goals as Lorinser also had two assists for five points.

Lorinser also led her team with five ground balls and eight draw controls, while teammate Sophie Langsdale had an NMU-high five caused turnovers.

All of this was in support of Northern netminder Lauren Esposito, who made 12 saves, the second-most in her career.

NMU held advantages of 36-28 in shots, 29-18 in shots on goal, 20-19 in ground balls, 19-13 in draw controls and 13-12 in caused turnovers.

After Calvin tied the game 1-1 and 2-2 in the first seven minutes, the Wildcats scored eight straight goals so that with about three minutes left in the first half, they had a 10-2 stranglehold on the game.

After Calvin scored back-to-back goals to end the first half, NMU upped its advantage to eight several times before finishing with the 10-goal margin.

NMU 20, Northwood 4

On Sunday afternoon, the Wildcats took no prisoners, scoring the first dozen goals to grab a commanding 12-0 lead with 6:30 left in the first half. By early in the final quarter, their lead was 18-2.

A total of 21 NMU players had points or defensive stats, as Vanessa Carrico had five goals and an assist for six points, while Hannah Jabas also had six points that included four assists.

Sisson recorded four ground balls to go with a goal and a caused turnover, while Langsdale and Carrico each had two caused turnovers, and Evita Weiche had three draw controls.

Esposito started in goal again, making one save in the first half, while Hannah Clark switched out with her, stopping two shots in the second half.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press releases reviewing the games and honor. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.