The University of Denver women’s lacrosse team continued its dominant 2026 season with two strong performances at Peter Barton stadium over the weekend. Defeating Marquette in the Big East semifinals before taking down Georgetown in the championship game.
Big East semifinals: Denver vs. Marquette
On April 30, No. 1 Denver (13-3) faced No. 4 Marquette (9-6) in the Big East Tournament semifinals.
Marquette opened the scoring early, but Denver quickly answered with a man-up goal from freshman midfielder Karleigh Mutch, assisted by sophomore attacker Eva Thomsen-Marr.
Junior midfielder Olivia Ripple followed by weaving through defenders and scoring, and sophomore midfielder Caroline Bowers added another to give Denver control. Marquette found the net late in the quarter, but Denver held a 5-3 lead at the end of the first.
The second quarter was dominated by Denver. Thomsen-Marr opened the scoring on a free-position shot, with Ripple continuing her strong performance with multiple goals. Bowers added another man-up goal as Denver kept pressure on the Marquette defense.
By halftime, the Crimson and Gold had stretched their lead to 10-4.
Denver carried that momentum into the third quarter, commanding both ends of the field. Strong communication on defense and key saves from sophomore goalkeeper Lexi Gwaku kept Marquette from scoring.
Meanwhile, Denver added four more goals from Ripple, Mutch and freshman attacker Kendra Harris. At the end of the third, Denver led 14-4.
In the fourth, Marquette scored early, but Denver immediately responded. Goals from Mutch and redshirt sophomore attacker Caroline Keil, along with continued offensive pressure put the game out of reach.
Denver closed out the semifinal with an 18-5 win, advancing to the championship.
Big East Championship: Denver vs. Georgetown
On May 2, No. 1 Denver (14-3) faced off against No. 2 Georgetown (12-5) in the Big East championship game. The Crimson and Gold wasted no time setting the tone.
Junior midfielder Kyra Obert opened the scoring off a caused turnover and Keil followed with back to back goals. Thomsen-Marr added another to cap off a dominant start, giving Denver the 4-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Denver continued its strong play. Keil scored again to extend the lead before Georgetown finally got a point on the board. The Crimson and Gold responded quickly, with Bowers finishing a play assisted by Keil.
Georgetown added one more late goal, but Denver still held a solid 6-2 lead at halftime.
The third quarter showcased Denver’s defensive strength and efficiency on offense. Gwaku made a key save early, and Keil continued her standout performance with two more goals.
Georgetown managed just one goal in the quarter. Denver remained in control with an 8-3 lead heading into the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Denver sealed the game with scoring across the lineup. Senior attacker Ryan Dineen, Thomsen-Marr, Mutch and Ripple each found the back of the net. Georgetown added a late goal, but it was not enough to shift momentum.
Denver secured a 12-4 victory to win its sixth straight Big East tournament title.
Keil led the way with five goals and two assists, while Thomsen-Marr contributed four points. Defensively, Denver was just as impressive, with multiple cause turnovers and a career high 13 saves from Gwaku.
This performance sets up Denver’s first matchup against the University of Florida on May 8 in Boulder for the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Lacrosse Championship.
