Sarah Riepe listening attentively in a team huddle

Women’s Lacrosse Hosts UW-La Crosse for Weekend Bout

Titans look to extend four game win streak

3/22/2024 1:32:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Coming off the program's 100th win, captured in the 14-12 victory over Calvin University Wednesday night, March 20, the Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team will host University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for a weekend contest Saturday, March 23. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. inside Tucci Stadium.

The Titans (5-2) enter the bout riding a four-game win streak after picking up the win over Calvin. Wednesday's contest saw reigning College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Offensive Player of the Week Britney Maldonado (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James B. Conant) continue her torrid senior campaign with a game-high seven points on four goals and three assists, along with five ground balls and five caused turnovers. Junior Mia Fiandaca (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East), the reigning CCIW Defensive Player of the Week, posted four goals for the Green and White. Junior Bri Kiser (Crown Point, Ind.-Crown Point) logged the win in goal, posting 14 saves and a team-high nine ground balls.

Maldonado has a slew of statistics that rank top-five nationally and lead IWU. The Hoffman Estates, Ill. native leads the nation in assists (42), seven helpers shy of tying the Titans' single-season program record, while her six assists per game average and 64 points rank second in the country, and her 9.14 points per game average is the third-highest nationally.

Fiandaca leads the Titans in goals with 27, followed by Maldonado and sophomore Carleigh Fountain (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) with 22 apiece. Fiandaca ranks second on the team with 29 points, while Fountain and fellow sophomore Devon Hanson (Waukesha, Wis.-Waukesha West) each have 22. Hanson leads the Green and White with 64 draw controls, followed by sophomore Sadie Newton's (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) 26, and Fiandaca with 24.

On the defensive end, Kiser's 25 ground balls are a team-high, while Hanson closely trails with 22, and sophomore Sarah Riepe (Aurora, Ill.-St. Francis) is third with 18. Fiandaca has caused a team-best 24 turnovers, followed by Hanson's 20, and Maldonado and Newton each with a baker's dozen.

Kiser has recorded all 420 minutes in goal for Illinois Wesleyan, having posted 67 saves on a .421 save percentage en route to a 5-2 record.

Illinois Wesleyan will face UW-La Crosse for the second time in program history. IWU edged past the Eagles in the inaugural meeting, winning 12-11 March 26, 2022. Fiandaca notched a pair of goals, while then-freshman Lizzie Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Saint Viator) was credited with the win in goal, making a crucial save in 14:48 minutes between the posts. UWL enters Saturday's contest with a 4-1 record, most recently falling to Aurora University, 15-10, Wednesday, March 20.

A live stream of the game can be found by clicking here, while live stats can be accessed here.

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