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BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS - APRIL 13 | NCAA Women’s Lacrosse: Illinois Wesleyan vs Carroll (Photo by Jimmy Naprstek Naprstek/Kodiak Creative)
Kodiak Creative
16
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 7-7, 2-2
6
Elmhurst ELMHURST 2-9, 0-4
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
7-7, 2-2
16
Final
6
Elmhurst ELMHURST
2-9, 0-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 3 4 3 6 16
Elmhurst ELMHURST 3 1 1 1 6

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Maldonado & Hanson Take Down Single-Season Records in Rout of Bluejays

Maldonado breaks points record, while Hanson shatters caused turnovers mark

ELMHURST, Ill. - A 10-point performance by senior Britney Maldonado (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James B. Conant) sparked the Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team past Elmhurst University, 16-6, Wednesday night, April 17. The senior's big performance saw her break yet another record, as she etched her name atop the single-season points list just four days removed from breaking the single-season assists record. Also shattering records, sophomore Devon Hanson (Waukesha, Wis.-Waukesha West) broke the program's single-season caused turnover mark, besting Dani Engelbreit's record of 42 set in the 2017 campaign. The win evens the Titans record at 7-7 overall, 2-2 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin action, while Elmhurst dips to 

Maldonado led the offense with 10 points by way of three goals and seven assists. Sophomore Carleigh Fountain (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) finished with a match-high five goals, and was second on the team with six points. Sophomore Anelise DiGiovanni (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township) added a career-best three goals for three points. 

At the draw, sophomore Sadie Newton (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) led the Green and White with six. Hanson finished with five draw controls, while sophomore Sarah Riepe (Aurora, Ill.-St. Francis) and junior Avery Setzler (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) each added three. Hanson, Setzler, and Riepe also led the Titans in ground balls, as the trio scooped up five apiece. Senior Hannah Trousdale (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Hoffman Estates) scooped up four to tie her career-best.

Entering the game ranking top-five nationally in caused turnovers per game, the IWU defense continued its aggressive approach, finishing with 23 forced miscues in the game. Leading the way was Hanson, who finished with six to smash her career-high, besting the program's single-season caused turnovers record. Riepe matched her career-best, as she forced four Elmhurst errors. Setzler and DiGiovanni each posted three caused turnovers.

Logging all 60 minutes in goal to pick up the win, junior Lizzie Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Saint Viator) notched four saves in goal, along with one ground ball. 

Illinois Wesleyan struck first as Maldonado found Setzler for a goal to put the visitors in front just three minutes into the game. Elmhurst responded with three of the next four goals, using a free position to level the score at one before back-to-back strikes from Gracie Eastman gave the Bluejays a 3-2 edge with 2:46 left in the opening period.

IWU ended the quarter with a game-tying goal as Maldonado found Fountain loose on a cut to knot the game at three. Hanson followed with a key interception to thwart EU's final possession of the period with the score tied, 3-3.

The Titans momentum carried over into the second quarter, as the Green and White net three straight goals. Following a trio of Elmhurst turnovers, Maldonado and Fountain teamed up for another goal at the 12:25 mark before Riepe capitalized on a free position opportunity. DiGiovanni capped the scoring run with a goal of her own around the five-minute mark to up the IWU lead to 6-3.

After Elmhurst cut the run, Illinois Wesleyan needed just 80 seconds to respond as Maldonado found Fountain again to give the Green and White a 7-4 advantage at halftime.

Out of the half, Bri Steil (Peoria, Ill.-Dunlap) scored nearly seven minutes into the period as IWU doubled up EU, 8-4, notching her first collegiate goal. Maldonado followed with back-to-back goals, the first of which came off a Fountain helper, to drive the Green and White's lead to six, 10-4, with 4:32 left in the third quarter.

The Titans outscored the Bluejays six to one in over the final 15 minutes. DiGiovanni scored off a Maldonado, while a Setzler strike and two goals from Fountain pushed Illinois Wesleyan ahead, 14-6, into the final three minutes. Maldonado's record-tying point came on an assist to DiGiovanni, before the senior completed a hat trick with a goal with 1:22 on the clock. The goal, which gave Maldonado 10 points on the night, broke the program's single-season point record previously held by current head coach Grainne Kelly. Kelly tallied 96 points during the 2018 campaign.

Illinois Wesleyan will enjoy the weekend off before traveling to North Central College Wednesday, April 24. Action is set to begin at 7 p.m. inside Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

 
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