COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Capital University women's lacrosse team continued their unblemished start to the 2022 season with a 19-8 trouncing of Otterbein University. The game proved to be incredibly physical as the officiating crew called for nine yellow cards in the contest, leading to two players – one for each team – carding out and being disqualified from the game. 

All said and done, the Comets moved to 14-0 overall and 5-0 in OAC play with the win. This 11-goal margin of victory marked the 12th time this season, Cap has won by double-digits. 

On the offensive side of the ball, Capital made a purchase of a four-for-four meal deal, seeing four different players score four times in the game. Those four players came in the form of Dylan Smith, Grace Osborn, Brooke Delara, and Luci Kanowsky. Of the 19 goals, 11 of them were assisted, with eight helpers coming from Delara – giving her 12 points in the game. Notably, those 12 points are the third most in a single-game in Capital history. Delara already holds the record with 14 set in 2019. 

Defensively, Capital forced Otterbein to commit 21 turnovers, led largely by five CT's from Grace Osborn. Katie Page also forced four cough-ups, while Dylan Smith, Avery Hart, Hanna Searles, and Skyla Caito each forced two turnovers. The Comets scooped up 29 ground balls, with six coming from Hanna Searles. Elsewhere, Julia Foresi and Bee Kuehn picked up four loose balls each. Katie Page and Grace Osborn added three each. 

In the cage, Bee Kuehn made four saves, bringing her season-tally to 81. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Comets once again faced a tougher start to the game as they saw an early 2-0 lead evaporate to a 2-2 tie. Dylan Smith and Luci Kanowsky scored the early tallies for Cap before Nina Dominick and Emily Willms leveled things up not long after. A quick four goals for the Comets in the form of Kanowsky x2, Grace Osborn and Smith again, came after the 2-2 tie and created some early separation for Capital. 

Before the first quarter pause, Osborn would score twice more and Brooke Delara would get in on the scoring act. Emily Willms and Carli Rigel netted for the Cardinals in the quarter, setting the score at 9-4. 

The second quarter evened out in scoring as both teams found the back of the cage three times. Capital got their tallies from Katie Page, Brooke Delara, and Luci Kanowsky. Otterbein received goals from Macey Buchanan, Rigel, and Lauren Newkirk. 

The second quarter was surely impacted by the physicality of the contest as 16 fouls were whistled in the period alone, resulting in 10 free position attempts and a second yellow card being issued to Luci Kanowsky, ending her day early. 

The third quarter started with the Cardinals grabbing the first goal of the second half off a Rigel shot. Despite that goal, the Comets did not let it phase them as they scored the final seven goals of the game and won the contest 19-8. 

Goals in the third quarter came courtesy of Katie Page, Brooke Delara x2, Avery Hart, and Dylan Smith. Opening the fourth period, the Comets would eat some time off the clock as it took six minutes before Dylan Smith would score again, putting Capital ahead by 10. 

The game was polished off by Grace Osborn's fourth of the game with 35 seconds left as Capital defeated Otterbein for the fifth consecutive meeting.    

THE OPPONENT
Carli Rigel led the Cardinals with a three-goal performance, while Lauren Newkirk handed out four assists. Maggie Nance made 10 saves in the goal. 

UP NEXT
Capital will take a few days off of competition before traveling to their nemesis, Mount Union next Friday, April 15th for a 1 p.m. start time.