The Prior Lake girls lacrosse team sent a strong message to the defending state champs May 19.

The No. 2-ranked Lakers handed top-ranked Eden Prairie is first loss in 64 games against a Minnesota team with a 6-5 home victory.

Eden Prairie has won last three state titles. The Lakers have finished fifth, fourth and third in that span. The Eagles have not lost to a Minnesota team since falling to Blake in the 2014 state title game.

Junior Lauren Wick led the unbeaten Lakers (11-0 overall, 7-0 in the South Suburban Conference) with two goals and an assist, while junior Ashtyn King also scored twice.

Prior Lake was down 2-1 at the break and trailed 4-1 in the second half, before scoring five straight goals to go up 6-4. Eden Prairie scored with 1:24 left to play, but couldn't get the equalizer.

Beating Eden Prairie should be a huge confident boost for the Lakers. Prior Lake also beat perennial power Blake earlier in the year. Eden Prairie and Blake are the only two programs to ever win state titles since the inception of girls lacrosse in 2007.

“It’s something we’ve been working for since my eighth-grade year,” Wick told the Minnesota Lacrosse Hub. “Ever since I’ve ever started playing lacrosse, I’ve always wanted to be number one. So, getting that feeling is awesome, and the people that I experienced it with, I wouldn’t change it. I wouldn’t change anything.”

Prior Lake lost to Eden Prairie 18-6 in the regular season last year and 18-7 the year before.

“In previous years it was more of a defensive mentality, and this year we decided we are going to play our game,” Lakers coach Heather Pierson said. “The girls had a completely different mentality and confidence in each other and in their teammates too.”

Junior Jordan Anderson and ninth-grader Payton Bloedow also scored goals in the win over the Eagles. Ninth-grader Mackenzie Salentre had two assists, while sophomore Josie Kropp had one.

Sophomore Grace Mattox made seven saves in goal.

Prior Lake went into the Eden Prairie game off two SSC wins — 15-4 at Eastview May 17 and 21-4 at Shakopee May 15.

Against Shakopee, Laker goals were scored by Kropp (7), Wick (3), senior Lexi Peer (3), Anderson (2), Bloedow (2), King (1), Salentre (1), junior Jacqueline Little (1) and senior Abby Muller (1). Assists went to: Anderson (4), sophomore Dezirae Spratt (2), Bloedow (1) and Muller (1). Mattox made three saves.

No stats for the Eastview win have been made available.

Prior Lake is home to Lakeville South in league action May 21 at 5 p.m. and will end the regular season at Rosemount May 24 at 5:30 p.m.

If the Lakers win both of those games, they'll earn their third straight perfect season in the SSC.

The first round of the Section 6 playoffs start May 30. The quarterfinals are June 1. The semifinals are June at Holy Angels, while the title game is June 7 at the Edina Community Center.

Prior Lake has beaten Apple Valley the last two years in the Section 6 final and won the Section 3 title game in 2015 with a win over Eastview.

The Lakers will be the No. 1 seed again this spring, while third-ranked Apple Valley (10-1) looks to be the No. 2. Fifth-ranked Edina (6-5) and Bloomington Jefferson (10-1) look to be the next two seeds.

Others in the field: Eastview (5-6), Burnsville (5-6), Bloomington Kennedy (4-7), Holy Angels (3-7), St. Louis Park (2-8) and Minneapolis (4-5).