DOVER, Del. - - Capping the 2013 season the Wilmington University women's lacrosse team went out on a high note, defeating in-state and NCAA Division I foe Delaware State, 20-8, getting 10 points from Liz Case and seven points from Jaclyn Hall, on Tuesday night at Alumni Stadium.
It was the second straight win for the Wildcats (4-13 overall), as they finished the season going 4-3 in the final seven contests. In its first season an NCAA program, Delaware State (0-11) recorded the highest goal total it has all year, but ended the season winless.
Playing under the lights on Tuesday, the Wildcats jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the opening 16 minutes and never looked back. The four seniors led the way for the visitors, as Case scored three goals and added seven assists for 10 points and Hall tallied four goals and a season high three assists. Molly Taylor recorded a pair of goals while Kaitlyn Hall made six saves in goal to record the win.
Case's first goal of the game with 22:26 left in the first half was her 100th career goal, becoming just the fourth Wildcat in program history to reach the century mark. Already the career leader in assists, her seven assists put her at 99 for her career, 29 more than the second most in program history. Case also became just the second student-athlete in program history to reach the 200 point plateau, finishing with 201 for her four-year career.
Leading 6-3 and following a goal by Delaware State, Jessica Stratton controlled the ensuing draw and raced down the field. She dished the ball off to Rebekah McCurry who buried the shot for the 7-3 lead only 12 seconds later.
That goal sparked a run of four straight marks for the Wildcats, pushing the lead out to 10-3 with 5:39 left in the first half. Jaclyn Hall, Case, and Penelope Fantis also registered goals during the run, with all four goals being assisted on. Megan Keffer finished off the first half with her only goal of the game with six second left before the break, bringing the Wildcats into halftime with an 11-5 lead.
Wilmington also came out and tallied the first three goals of the second half, and eight of the first nine to really take control of the contest. Ali Kern recorded her second goal of the season to start the second frame before Case and McCurry followed with back-to-back goals.
After Delaware State broke up the goal streak to bring the score to 14-6, Wilmington ran off another string of five consecutive goals to widen the gap to 19-6 with three minutes left in regulation. Chelsie Maher rounded out the Wilmington scoring on the evening, being sandwiched around a pair of Hornet goals to end the contest, 20-8.
The Wildcats took 44 shots compared to Delaware State's 17 while also picking up more ground balls, 31-14. The teams were even on draw controls, 15-15, while Delaware State went 2-for-6 on free-position shots. Wilmington missed its only opportunity from eight-meters.
Twelve different Wildcats scored a goal on Tuesday night, including Sarah Linder who picked up her first career mark with a shot and a goal to kick-start the five goal run in the second half.
Case led the Wildcats in 2013 with 56 points, scoring 25 goals while adding 31 assists. McCurry and Jaclyn Hall tied for the team lead with 30 goals while also tallying four assists each to finish with 34 points. Keffer added 25 goals and seven assists to finish with 32 points on the year. Kaitlyn Hall played every minute in goal for the Wildcats, making 142 saves on the season, finishing with a 13.88 goals against average.