NEWARK, DEL. – A strong start for the Wilmington University women's lacrosse team led them to a 17-5 win over Barton Wednesday morning in their season opener at the WU Athletics Complex.
The Wildcats (1-0) opened their 2020 season off on the right foot, as Barton (2-2) could not find any answers to a 6-0 lead in the first ten minutes of the contest.
It took just 4:35 into the game for junior attacker Alexis Miller to give the Wildcats their first goal of the 2020 season, thanks to Lashay Ross, before red shirt junior Delaney Steele made it a 2-0 game thanks to Ross a minute later. The Bulldogs would have their second opportunity off of a free position shot with 24:06 to play, but it would end up wide for a chance for WilmU to head the other way, creating a shot for Maris Allen from Taylor Lambeth, which would make it a 3-0 game.
WilmU would get out to a 6-0 lead with 19:26 to play in the first half, before Barton could net their first goal of the game with 16:36 to play. The Bulldogs would net just one more goal before the half, as Wilmington went on a 5-0 run, that included two goals from Lashay Ross, to help the Wildcats lead 10-2 heading into halftime.
Barton would open the second half looking to decrease the Wildcats' lead, scoring three minutes in to make it an 11-3 game. With a turnover by the Wildcats, the Bulldogs would net their second consecutive goal for their fourth goal of the game with 25:18 to play.
Soon after, Lashay Ross would net her fourth goal of the game, before sophomore Maddie Day found the back of the net within a minutes span to put the Wildcats up 10 with 21:38 to play in regulation. Delaney Steele would dish out four straight assists to find both Ross and Day, until Taylor Lambeth dished her second assist of the game out to find Maddie Day with 10:25 to go, making it a 17-4 contest.
The Wildcats outshot the Bulldogs 22-9 in the first half, while holding them to 0-4 from free position shots in the half.
Maddie Day would lead the Wildcats with seven goals and seven points, while Lashay Ross netted five goals and dished out three assists for eight points, while also winning four draw controls. Delaney Steele would make five assists and score one goal for six points, as Maris Allen scored twice. Junior Taylor Lambeth had two assists and one goal, with Brooke Siebert winning 11 draw controls.
Wilmington will be back on the turf this Saturday when Millersville comes to the Complex. Opening draw is set for 1:00 p.m.