Women’s Lacrosse Hosts Aurora in Season Opener

Titans take on the Spartans at 4 p.m.

2/27/2024 10:32:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team will open its 2024 season at home, as the Titans host Aurora University Wednesday, Feb. 28. Action is set to begin at 4 p.m. inside Tucci Stadium.

Entering her second season at the helm of her alma mater, head coach Grainne Kelly returns 13 from last year's squad that posted a 7-11 overall record and made it to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Semifinals. The Titans welcome six newcomers, as freshmen Sydney Gragert (Odell, Ill.-Pontiac Township), Bri Steil (Peoria, Ill.-Dunlap), Carolyn Meyer (Roselle, Ill.-James B. Conant), Chloe Heyl (Houston, Texas-Emery/Weiner), sophomore Prissilla Tucker (Santa Rosa, Calif.-Windsor), and junior Bri Kiser (Crown Point, Ind.-Crown Point) will all don the Green and White for the first time Wednesday.

Illinois Wesleyan returns three of its four 2023 All-CCIW honorees. Junior Mia Fiandaca (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) was a first team selection at midfield, while senior Britney Maldonado (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James B. Conant) and sophomore Devon Hanson (Waukesha, Wis.-Waukesha West) were second team honorees at attack and midfield, respectively.

Maldonado returns as the top scorer from last year's season. As a junior, Maldonado posted 57 points on 33 goals and a team-best 24 assists. Fiandaca led the Green and White with 44 goals, and finished second on the team with 49 points. Fiandaca and Hanson each posted a team-high 64 draw controls.

Defensively, Fiandaca returns with the most ground balls and caused turnovers. The St. Charles, Ill. native finished second on the team with 34 ground balls, and the fourth-most caused turnovers, forcing 16 miscues throughout the season. Junior Lizzie Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Saint Viator) returns as the most experienced goalkeeper, as she led the Titans with 588:58 minutes logged between the posts last season, recording 130 saves and a 7-6 record in that time frame.

Wednesday's contest will be the eighth meeting between the two squads, dating back to 2016. IWU enters with a 5-2 advantage, but lost the most recent meeting, 16-5, March 1, 2023. Then-freshman Sadie Newton (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) finished with two assists, while then-freshman Carleigh Fountain (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) added a goal and three draw controls. Aurora, a 2023 NCAA Tournament Qualifier, will make its season debut at Tucci Stadium.

The match will be live streamed, which can be found here, and live stats can be accessed by clicking here.

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