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DiGiovanni driving against Lake Forest March 2, 2025
© AshtinElder
9
Winner IWU IWU 5-4
6
UW-Stevens Point UWSP 0-6
Winner
IWU IWU
5-4
9
Final
6
UW-Stevens Point UWSP
0-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
IWU IWU 2 2 2 3 9
UW-Stevens Point UWSP 2 0 2 2 6

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Women’s Lacrosse Wins Defensive Battle at UWSP

Titans defeat Pointers, 9-6

STEVENS POINT, Wis. - Playing its second game in as many days, the Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team escaped with a 9-6 win at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Sunday, March 23. The win bolsters IWU's record to 5-4, while UWSP dips to 0-6. 

Junior Anelise DiGiovanni (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township) led the team with three points on a team-high three goals, both tying her career-best marks. Five Titans finished with two points, and junior Sarah Riepe (Aurora, Ill.-St. Francis) was second on the team in goals, scoring two. 

At the draw, junior Sadie Newton (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) finished with a team-leading six draw controls, while senior Avery Setzler (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) added two. 

With each scooping up four ground balls, Newton and Setzler played key roles on both sides of the field. The trio of Riepe, junior Carleigh Fountain (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg), and freshman Sophie Shore (St. Peters, Mo.-Francis Howell Central) each added three.

Shore, Riepe, and Setzler led the Titan defense, as each finished with three caused turnovers in the contest. In goal for the Green and White, senior Lizzie Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Saint Viator) made 11 saves on a .647 save percentage to secure the win. 

The Titans finished with statistical advantages in shots (35-28), shots on goal (27-17), draw controls (10-9), and won the turnover battle, 33-27. UWSP notched the edge in ground balls (30-25) saves (18-11). IWU finished 21-for-28 in clear attempts, and the Pointers went 21-for-26, as both teams moved the ball well across the field.

After falling behind 2-0 early, Setzler won the draw off the goal, quickly setting up the IWU offense. The Titans utilized the possession, as Fountain cracked the scoreboard for the visitors, making it a one-score game with 7:07 left in the opening period. Rymarcsuk made a clutch save on a free-position attempt, and the Titans tied the game at two goals apiece courtesy of DiGiovanni's first goal of the day.

The Titans looked poised to take the lead at the end of the quarter, but Fountain's free-position shot was saved at the buzzer, ending the first 15 minutes of play at 2-2.

Illinois Wesleyan took its first lead of the game, as freshman Maddie Gibson (Fenton, Mo.-Rockwood Summit) dished a pass to DiGiovanni, who put IWU ahead 3-2 with 11:32 remaining in the first half. A yellow card gave the Green and White an extra-person opportunity, and it did not let the advantage go to waste. The Bloomington, Ill. connection stayed strong, as Setzler fed Newton for a goal to make it a two-point game at the 10:30 mark.

The rest of the first half would remain scoreless, as a last-chance offensive pursuit by the Pointers was thwarted by junior Prissilla Tucker (Santa Rosa, Calif-Windsor), who forced a turnover with 11 seconds left on the clock.

UW-Stevens Point net the first two goals of the third quarter to level the score at 4-4, but IWU quickly responded. Gibson pushed the Titans back out in front with an unassisted goal with 1:37 left to play in the quarter, and Illinois Wesleyan capitalized one more time to end the third period. With 38 seconds on the clock, Setzler found the back of the net to up the score to 6-4, giving the Green and White a two-point cushion heading into the final quarter.

The Pointers struck first in the fourth period to cut the lead in half, but once again IWU had a response ready. Fountain won the ensuing draw, and immediately found Riepe for a goal to push it back to a two-score game, 7-5, with 9:57 remaining to play. 

Riepe scored again quickly after, this time using a free-position attempt to her advantage, giving the Green and White its biggest lead of the game, 8-5, at the 8:36 mark. UWSP got it back within reach, but Newton found DiGiovanni for the dagger, as IWU stood ahead, 9-6, with 3:10 remaining. 

DiGiovanni's third goal would be the last goal of the game, as the Titans took the low-scoring battle, 9-6. 

IWU remains on the road and will head to DePauw University Wednesday, March 26. Action is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
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