NEWARK, Del. - - The Wilmington University women's lacrosse team gained an out of conference win over West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon at the WU Athletics Complex, in conjunction with Senior Day as seven Wildcats were congratulated on their careers at Wilmington University.
Seniors Rachel Burley, Ali Kern, Sarah Lindler, Penelope Fantis, Brittany Rhodes, Chelsie Maher, and Jess Stratton were congratulated with family members for Senior Day prior to the start of Saturday's game.
The Wildcats (9-7 overall) opened the scoring with a trio of goals within the first four minutes of the game. The goals came from Megan Keffer, Rebekah McCurry, and Katie Spence, giving the Wildcats a quick 3-0 lead.
Holly Lucke recorded the fist goal for the Bobcats (4-11 overall) at the 23:54 minute mark, but it wasn't enough to interrupt the Wildcat offense as Rhodes, Fantis, and Ashley Kroll were the next scorers in the game to take the Wildcat total to 6-1.
Maddie Hewitt made the most of a man up opportunity, getting an assist from Kroll to add to the Wildcat lead. The Bobcats added their second mark of the game as Taylor Holmes converted a free-position shot with 7:44 to play, interrupting a streak of five-out-of-six goals in the game for the Wildcats.
Keffer earned her second of the game with just over seven minutes left in the half to give the Wildcats an 8-2 advantage. The Bobcats scored back-to-back goals as Kelly Steen, and Jocelyn Prescott each earned their first of the game. However, Hewitt recorded her second of the game with an assist from Rhodes with just seconds left in the half taking the Wildcats with a 9-4 lead into the break.
The Bobcats started the second half scoring, before McCurry recorded her second of the game with an assist from Kroll with 26:32 to play to keep the Wildcats ahead by five goals.
The scoring continued for the Bobcats with a succession of goals to take them within three of the Wildcats. Kroll was back in action, this time playing a perfectly weighted pass within the eight as Rhodes made a far post run to score her second of the game, and 11th of the season to put the Wildcats back in front by four goals.
Jessica Hardman kept the Bobcats within three as she scored her first of the game with 16:56 minutes left in the game, giving the visitors hope as the game was back and forth though the first half of the second stanza.
But it was all Wilmington from there on out as Keffer, and Fantis each scored during a man up advantage to cap a three-goal run by the home team, taking the Wildcat total to 14. Five goals were scored in the last five minutes, two from the Bobcats, but the Wildcats didn't let up and added three more, this time consecutive goals from Fantis making her the Wildcats leading scorer of the day with four goals total.
Alexis Olsen finished the afternoon scoring with 1:46 left in the game, finalizing the Wildcats with a 17-10 victory.
McCurry lead the team with six points; scoring three goals while adding three assists, and tallying eight draw controls. Keffer was just one point behind the leader with three goals and two assists. Burley recorded a team high four ground balls on the day. The Wildcats outshot the Bobcats 43-21, and recorded more draw controls, 22-7, to seize the game.
The next game for the Wildcats is very important in taking them to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference playoffs, as they must beat South Division leaders Philadelphia University on Tuesday, April 22 at the WU Athletics Complex. The Wildcats also need help from Chestnut Hill against Holy Family to earn the second and final spot in the CACC Tournament from the South Division.
Tuesday also marks the last home game of the season for the Wildcats with the opening draw scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
This press release was written by Sports Information Intern Jordanne Hoesli-Atkins
