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Avery Setzler maneuvers around an Aurora defender Feb. 28, 2024
© AshtinElder
20
Winner Wis.-La Crosse UWL 5-1
14
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 5-3
Winner
Wis.-La Crosse UWL
5-1
20
Final
14
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
5-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Wis.-La Crosse UWL 6 7 3 4 20
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 3 4 4 3 14

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Women’s Lacrosse Win Streak Snapped by Eagles

Titans fall to UW-La Crosse, 20-14

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team saw its four-game win streak snapped by University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Saturday, March 23, as the Titans fell 20-12 inside Tucci Stadium. With the loss, IWU drops to 5-3 on the season, while the Eagles up their record to 5-1. 

Senior Britney Maldonado (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James B. Conant) led the Green and White with four points, all by way of goals. Junior Avery Setzler (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) added a hat trick, while junior Mia Fiandaca (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) and sophomore Devon Hanson (Waukesha, Wis.-Waukesha) each posted two goals and an assist for three points. Sophomore Sarah Riepe (Aurora, Ill.-St. Francis) registered her first collegiate goal in the contest. 

At the draw, Fiandaca finished with a team-high eight draw controls, followed by Hanson's six, and sophomore Sadie Newton (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) with five. Hanson scooped up a team-best four ground balls, and five Titans finished with a trio. 

On the defensive end, Setzler led Illinois Wesleyan with a career-high five caused turnovers. Fiandaca and Hanson each caused four, while Newton and Riepe posted three apiece. Junior Bri Kiser (Crown Point, Ind.-Crown Point) made five saves in 60:00 in goal for the Green and White. 

As a team, Illinois Wesleyan held advantages in shots (44-36), shots on goal (31-15), draw controls (23-15), and committed 23 turnovers to the Eagles' 29. IWU finished nine-of-17 on clear attempts, while UW-La Crosse was 17-of-28. UWL saw advantages in saves (17-5) and ground balls (34-31). 

Fiandaca won the opening draw for the Titans, who quickly cracked the scoreboard, as sophomore Carleigh Fountain (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) found Maldonado on a cut to take a 1-0 lead 33 seconds into the game. 

UWL responded with the next five goals before IWU could end the run. After the Eagles fifth goal, head coach Grainne Kelly called a timeout to talk things over. The timeout proved to be beneficial, as Fiandaca took the draw out of it, dished the ball to Fountain, who raced down and buried a goal to cut the deficit to three. 

After the Eagles responded, Fiandaca drew a free-position with 13 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and made the most of the man-up opportunity, as she found the back of the net to end the period, 6-3 in favor of the visitors. 

Opening the second period of action, UWL utilized its own free-position attempt to begin the scoring. The Titans responded by winning the draw, and after two shots went wide, Setzler drew a free-position, and cut the lead to three with 14:05 remaining in the half. 

Following a quick response by the Eagles, junior Grace Spader (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) caused a turnover and scooped up the ball to set up the offense. After the successful clear attempt, Setzler drew another free-position, and once again used it to her advantage to record a goal for the Green and White, forcing UWL to take a timeout to talk things over. 

Out of the timeout, Fiandaca took the draw and found Setzler, who buried her second goal in 20 seconds to cut the deficit to two, as the score now stood at 8-6 with 11:55 remaining in the half. 

IWU would never find a way to close the gap any further, ultimately falling 20-14. 

The Titans return to action next Saturday, March 30, traveling to University of Wisconsin-River Falls for a nonconference bout with the Falcons. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. inside Smith Stadium at Ramer Field.
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