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Titan goal celebration vs IIT
Jimmy Naprstek/Kodiak Creative
12
Illinois Tech IIT 0-1, 0-0
15
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1-0, 0-0
Illinois Tech IIT
0-1, 0-0
12
Final
15
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
1-0, 0-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Illinois Tech IIT 3 3 3 3 12
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 3 5 2 5 15

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse |

Women’s Lacrosse Soars Past Scarlet Hawks in Season Opener

Six players score in win

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team used a balanced effort to top Illinois Institute of Technology, 15-12, in its season opener Saturday, Feb. 21, at Tucci Stadium. The Titans start the year 1-0, while the Scarlet Hawks slide to 0-1.

Senior Anelise DiGiovanni (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township) powered the offense with a six-point showing via three goals and three assists. She tied sophomore Sophie Shore (St. Peters, Mo.-Francis Howell Central) for the team lead in assists. Sophomore Lillie Keeton (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington) was the team's top goal-getter, finishing with a career-high five on the day, while tossing in a team-high five ground balls. Senior Sadie Newton (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) also posted a hat trick with fellow senior Sarah Riepe (Aurora, Ill.-St. Francis) tallying two scores alongside an assist.

Newton and Riepe captained the defensive performance as the duo combined for 12 draw controls and seven caused turnovers. Newton forced a team-best four turnovers and scooped up three ground balls. Riepe was credited with three caused turnovers and four ground balls. Behind six draws apiece from the senior duo, Shore recorded five. 

Illinois Wesleyan utilized the services of sophomore Marli Brown (Kansas City, Mo.-Notre Dame de Sion) and freshman Allison Vervynck (Overland Park, Kan.-Saint Thomas Aquinas) in goal. Brown made the start and earned the win with four saves, while Vervynck tacked on three stops in the second half.

After allowing two quick scores from the Scarlet Hawks early in the first quarter, DiGiovanni put the Titans on her back to take the lead. 

DiGiovanni broke through the IIT defense and found the back of the net for her first score of the season. Following a Scarlet Hawk turnover, DiGiovanni emerged from behind the net to tie it up, 2-2. 

A DiGiovanni pass to Newton gave IWU its first lead of the game, 3-2, near the end of the first quarter. An IIT goal ended the first quarter tied at 3-3. 

Newton started the second quarter with another Titan goal on an assist from Riepe  to take the lead once again. Keeton scored her fourth career goal to give the Titans the lead, but IIT scored 20 seconds later to tie it up at five all. 

Three consecutive Titan goals from the trio sophomores Shore, Maddie Gibson (Fenton, Mo.-Rockwood Summit), and Keeton gave IWU a three-score advantage, 8-5. Following an IIT goal, the Titans enjoyed a 8-6 lead heading into halftime. 

A back-and-forth third quarter saw the Titans strike first. Keeton's career day continued with a shot to kick off the second half, but IIT battled back to within one, 10-9, headed into the final quarter.

To start the fourth, DiGiovanni's initial shot was blocked, but Riepe scooped up the ball and found the back of the net for an 11-9 Titan advantage. 

After the Scarlet Hawks responded to pull back within one, 11-10, Gibson found DiGiovanni cutting towards goal. Receiving the pass on a dime, DiGiovanni shoveled into goal for a two-score lead with 8:42 to play.

Illinois Tech took full advantage of being up three players to once again cut the Green and White lead to one, 12-11, but Newton put the Titans back on track. Forcing a turnover on the defensive end to thwart an IIT attack, the senior raced down the near sideline for a clear and dished off to Shore to get the IWU attack underway. Looking to the hot-hand, Shore slipped a pass to Keeton right on the crease for a strike and 13-11 lead. The goal forced an IIT timeout.

The break did little to slow the Titans as Newton buried a free-position shot and Keeton struck for her fifth to power the home team ahead, 15-11. Illinois Tech capitalized on an IWU miscue to score once more, but the Titans thwarted the comeback there to hang on, 15-12.

The Titans return to action tomorrow, Feb. 22, as hosts to Augsburg University. Action is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Tucci Stadium.

 
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