Over the weekend, the Pioneer women’s lacrosse team (2-1) broke even with one win and one loss on the road, finishing 17-6 against George Washington on Friday and losing 7-6 to Delaware on Sunday.
The team’s performance on Friday was both helpful and hurtful, according to head coach Liza Kelly. Although everyone was able to get off the bench, giving everyone a chance to play and get some newer players on the field, the poor handling of the ball ended up hurting the team’s performance on Sunday.
“It was a sloppy game; we really needed to control our possessions a little better, and it ended up coming back to bite us in the butt on Sunday’s game against a better opponent,” said Kelly. “Across the board, there was a complete lack of trust across the field [on Sunday].”
In Friday’s win over George Washington, redshirt sophomore Hannah Hook tallied 11 saves, a career best for her. Freshman midfielder Rachael McKinnon netted two goals, while sophomore Rachael Dillon also contributed to the high-scoring game with four goals, one assist and three groundballs, shattering her previous career high.
Junior Jenn Etzel posted four goals and two assists, while senior Mikayla Clark added another. Freshman goalkeeper Bailey Dunning also made her collegiate debut.
In Sunday’s close defeat at the hand of Delaware, redshirt senior Kara Secora scored four goals, junior Annabelle Gilbride scored one and Etzel added another. Sophomore Jill Remenapp also recorded two assists, while Hook posted a total of 10 saves.
The Pioneers jumped to an early lead with goals from Secora and Etzel. Ending the first half at 5-5 with help from two goals from Gilbride, the team entered the second half defensively. Although Denver came close to a comeback, it wasn’t enough, according to Kelly.
“We dropped throughout the second half,” said Kelly. “We weren’t taking care of the ball and weren’t making very good decisions, but these are things that can be fixed.”
Looking forward, the Pioneers are looking to grow from this weekend and improve in their upcoming game against Louisville on Saturday.
The Cardinals are so far undefeated with three victories tucked under their belt, having defeated their first three opponents: Canisius (13-3), Ohio State (12-11) and Old Dominion (21-3). All three of their matches have been at home, and Denver is scheduled to be their first road game. Kelly said she hopes that the Delaware loss will ultimately help the team.
“It’s never good to lose, but it will show us where our weaknesses are,” said Kelly. “The game on Saturday is big.”
