Sophie Shore driving with the ball against Wooster March 29, 2025

Kodiak Creative

Women’s Lacrosse Opens CCIW Play at Augie

Titans to face Vikings at 6 p.m.

4/8/2025 12:00:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Playing its first game in 10 days, the Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team travels to Augustana College for its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener Wednesday night, April 9. The Titans (5-6) will take on the Vikings (4-6) at 6 p.m. at Thorson-Lucken Field.

Illinois Wesleyan enters the contest after falling, 20-8, to The College of Wooster Saturday, March 29. Freshman Maddie Gibson (Fenton, Mo.-Rockwood Summit) and junior Anelise DiGiovanni (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township) led the offense with four points apiece, both notching career-highs. Gibson totaled a personal-best four goals, while DiGiovanni had an even split of two goals and a pair of assists. Senior Mia Fiandaca (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) and junior Sarah Riepe (Aurora, Ill.-St. Francis) each recorded a team-leading three caused turnovers. In goal for the Green and White, senior Lizzie Rymarcsuk (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Saint Viator) made 13 saves and scooped up a team-high five ground balls.

With 24 points on the season, senior Avery Setzler (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) leads the team. Her 17 goals are tied for the team-high, and she has added seven assists. Junior Sadie Newton (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) is second with 22 points, followed by 19 points apiece from Gibson and junior Carleigh Fountain (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg). Fiandaca joins Setzler at the top with 17 goals, and Newton rounds out the top three with 14. DiGiovanni leads the team in assists with nine, while Newton and Fountain are tied for second with eight helpers each.

At the draw, Newton's 45 draw controls are the most on the team. Fiandaca follows with 26, and Setzler closely trails with 25 draw controls. The same three lead the team in ground balls, just in a different order. Setzler sits at the top with 32 ground balls, followed by Fiandaca (31) and Newton (28).

As a team, the Titans rank 20th nationally in caused turnovers per game with an average of 13.73. Leading the charge, Fiandaca has recorded 34 caused turnovers in just six games, an impressive average of 5.67 per contest. Newton is second with 15, followed by the duo of Riepe and freshman Carly Bajusz (Naperville, Ill.-Naperville North) with 13 forced miscues apiece.

With 567:15 minutes logged between the iron, Rymarcsuk leads the team with 97 saves, holding a .458 save percentage, and enters Wednesday with a 5-6 record.

IWU will face Augie for the 12th time in program history, with the Titans holding a 7-4 edge in the series. Winners of the last seven matchups, Illinois Wesleyan beat AC 22-2 in the most recent matchup April 27, 2024. In her final game at Tucci Stadium, Britney Maldonado led the offense with 10 points on five goals and five assists. Fiandaca tallied team-bests of seven goals, seven caused turnovers, and seven ground balls. Logging all 60 minutes in goal, Rymarcsuk made four saves to secure the win. Augustana enters the battle off a 17-1 loss to Berry College Wednesday, March 26.

The Vikings will provide a live stream, which can be accessed here, while live stats can be found by clicking here.

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