Sarah Riepe with the ball against Elmhurst April 24, 2023

Adam Day

Women’s Lacrosse Travels to Carthage for Regular Season Finale

Titans look to secure No. 3 seed in CCIW Tournament

4/28/2023 10:00:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - With a spot in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament secured, the Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team will travel to Carthage College for the regular season finale Saturday, April 29 with seeding on the line. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. on Art Keller Field. The winner of the match will lock up the No. 3 seed in the CCIW Tournament to take on second-seeded Carroll University in the semifinals next week.

Illinois Wesleyan (7-9, 3-2 CCIW) most recently defeated Elmhurst University, 22-4, Monday, April 24. Junior Britney Maldonado (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James B Conant) broke the program's single-game points record with 11, using five goals and six assists to do so. Sophomore Mia Fiandaca (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) recorded a match-high six goals, tying her career-high.

Carthage (10-6, 3-2 CCIW) enters off a 21-5 victory over North Central College Tuesday, April 25.

This will be the ninth meeting between the two programs, with IWU holding a 5-3 advantage. The Firebirds won the most recent matchup, 18-12, April 30, 2023. Then-junior Sarah Gleason (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) notched two goals in the match. Gleason, and then-juniors Jennie Hubbard (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) and Kelly Carlson (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) each scooped up a team-high three ground balls.

Offensively, the Titans are led by Maldonado's 49 points on 29 goals and a team-best 20 assists. In conference play, Maldonado currently sits second in points per game (5.40) and assists per game (2.60). Fiandaca follows with 46 points, and her 41 goals lead the Titans. In conference matches, the sophomore is fourth in goals per game, averaging 3.20 against CCIW opponents. Freshman Devon Hanson (Waukesha, Wis.-Waukesha West) has been credited with a team-high 57 draw controls, followed closely by Fiandaca's 55.

On the defensive side, Gleason leads IWU with 41 ground balls, while Fiandaca has 32, and sophomore Lizzie Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Saint Viator) has scooped up 27. Senior Julia Raczykowski (Minooka, Ill.-Minooka Community) has caused a team-best 21 turnovers. Gleason sits second with 19, and Fiandaca has caused 16.

In between the posts, Rymarcsuk has logged 543:58 minutes for the Titans. In that time, she has made 120 saves on a .504 save percentage. Her .476 save percentage in conference action is second-best.

A link to the live stream and live stats can be found under the women's lacrosse schedule page on iwusports.com.

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