Although the game started like the regular season game, with Florida quickly securing an early lead in the BIG EAST final on May 5, the Pioneers were unable to turn the flow of the game around and fell 18-6 to the Gators.
Junior draw specialist Maddie Baum (Piedmont, Calif.) had eight draw controls in the game, setting a new school record for draw controls in a single season at 94. She was also named to the BIG EAST Second Team, the first league honor in Baum’s career. On March 10, against Niagara, Baum set the Denver program record for draw controls by an individual in a single-game, collecting 16 of the 24 draw controls.
Denver’s first goal of the game came at 13:38 in the first half when senior captain Caitlin Derry (Seal Beach, Calif.) scored an unassisted goal to make the score 7-1. She scored again in the second half at 29:25 off a free position shot to spark the Denver offense. She was followed by junior Julia Feiss, assisted by Kendra Lanuza (Littleton, Colo.). Sophomore Molly Little (Tiverton, R.I.) scored off a free position shot at 21:16, followed by Elizabeth Behrins with another free position shot at 17:28. Senior Riley Eggeman (Mission Viejo, Calif.) scored the final goal for the Pioneers at 12:42 off an unassisted goal. Florida responded to each one of the Denver goals with a goal of their own and closed the game off on a four goal run. The final score was 18-6.
Feiss and redshirt junior defender Kennedy Milburn (Whitby, Ontario) earned spots on the BIG EAST First Team, while Baum was joined by BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Quintin Hoch-Bullen (Severn, Ontario) on the BIG EAST Second Team.
Hoch-Bullen was named the Co-Freshman of the Year after a consistent rookie season, scoring 34 goals and making 14 assists. She has recorded a team-high seven hat tricks, with four consecutive hat-tricks in games from Niagara on March 10 to Colorado on March 29. Hoch-Bullen has scored five goals in two different games and is nationally ranked in goals per game (2.13), shot percentage (0.515), free-position percentage (0.625, 10-for-16), free-position goals per game (0.63) and points per game (3.0).
Feiss was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team. She scored a team-high 41 goals and has scored a goal in every game. Feiss has led the team in goals scored in four games and has recorded hat tricks six times this season. She is nationally ranked in goals scored (41), goals per game (3.13), shots per game (6.0), shots on goal per game (4.25), points (50), points per game (3.13) and free-position percentage (0.560).
Milburn has earned a place on the first team after a season in which she has started every game and led the Pioneers with 31 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers. Milburn has had season bests in ground balls, draw controls and caused turnovers. She is nationally ranked in caused turnovers per game with 1.31.
Despite losing to Florida, the Pioneers were awarded an at-large bid in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse tournament. They will play High Point on May 11.
