Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
Women's Lacrosse celebrates after defeating Carroll April 13, 2024
Kodiak Creative
15
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 8-7, 3-2
7
North Central (IL) NCC 7-6, 2-3
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
8-7, 3-2
15
Final
7
North Central (IL) NCC
7-6, 2-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 2 2 7 4 15
North Central (IL) NCC 3 2 1 1 7

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Second Half Surge Pushes Titans Past Cardinals

Maldonado Sets CCIW Single-Season Assist Record

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - In a key College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin contest, a second half surge pushed the Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team past North Central College, 15-7, on the road Wednesday night, April 24. With the win, IWU ups its record to 8-7, 3-2 in CCIW play, while NCC falls to 7-6 overall and 2-3 in league action. 

Trailing 5-4 at the end of the first half, IWU scored seven of the eight goals in third period action to mount the comeback victory. Leading the Green and White offense, senior Britney Maldonado (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James B. Conant) scored 11 points on four goals and seven assists. Sophomore Carleigh Fountain (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) and junior Mia Fiandaca (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) also posted four goals apiece to finish with four points, while junior Avery Setzler (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) added three points on a pair of goals and an assist. 

Surpassing 65 assists for the season, Maldonado broke the CCIW's single-season assist record that has stood since 2015. Augustana's Hilary Kargl held the previous record with 65 in the first league's first season of women's lacrosse. 

Despite seeing a 14-12 disadvantage at the draw as a team, sophomore Devon Hanson (Waukesha, Wis.-Waukesha West) posted a team-high six draw controls. Fiandaca added two, while a trio of Titans finished with one each. 

Of the 28 ground balls IWU scooped as a team, Setzler paced the game with a match-high five to tie her career-best performance. Hanson and fellow sophomore Sarah Riepe (Aurora, Ill.-St. Francis) each scooped up four, while Sadie Newton (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) notched three. 

Continuing to sit near the top of the nation in caused turnovers per game, Illinois Wesleyan finished with 15 caused turnovers in tonight's contest. Hanson and Riepe led the defense with three apiece, while Setzler and Maldonado each caused two miscues. 

In goal for the Green and White, junior Lizzie Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Saint Viator) got the win in between the iron, finishing with nine saves in 60 minutes of action to notch her third victory of the season. 

Facing a 5-4 deficit to begin the second half of action, Rymarcsuk kept the game within one making a key stop to open the third period. After the first offensive attack for IWU was broken up, Fountain forced an NCC turnover, scooped up the ground ball, and quickly found Hanson, moved in closer to the goal before firing off a shot to tie the game at 5-5 with 13:12 left on the clock in the third. 

Once again forcing a Cardinals miscue, the Titan offense used the opportunity to grab the lead back, 6-6, as Fiandaca scooped up the ground ball and found Maldonado, who spun around her defenders, rolled the crease, and buried her shot to pick up a hat trick with 9:10 to play in the third. 

After North Central tied the game at six, Fountain took advantage of a free position attempt to snag a 7-6 lead at the 6:27 mark in the third period of action. Fountain completed her hat trick a few minutes later, as she scored on a dish from Maldonado to up the Green and White's lead to two. 

Continuing to do what she does best, Maldonado fed Fiandaca on a cut for her first goal of the night. After Hanson got the following draw, Maldonado notched another assist, this time finding Setzler near the crease to push the Titans up 10-6 with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Finishing the third, Maldonado and Fiandaca teamed up for another goal, extending the Titans' run to five straight goals to enter the final period of action with an 11-6 lead. 

Illinois Wesleyan got on the board first in the fourth quarter, as Maldonado assisted for the fifth straight goal, finding Fountain with 12:46 left to play, as the Titans' doubled NCC's score, 12-6. 

The Cardinals quickly responded to end the Green and White's run less than a minute later, but the damage was already done, as Illinois Wesleyan rolled to a 15-7 victory. 

The Titans conclude the regular season Saturday, April 27, against Augustana College, with the contest serving as Senior Day for the Green and White. IWU's two seniors, Britney Maldonado and Hannah Trousdale, will be honored prior to the 12 p.m. start inside Tucci Stadium.
Print Friendly Version