CHICAGO, Ill. – As the sun was beating down on a crowded Amos Alonzo Stagg Field on the campus of the University of Chicago, the Capital University women's lacrosse team routinely found themselves behind the enemy lines of the Hamline University Pipers and hitting the back of the net at will. The Comets offense was firing on all cylinders as they took down Hamline by a score of 21-4.
Capital rises to 20-0 on the year and claims their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history.
Hamline's season ends at 7-8.
Of all days to have a breakout game, sophomore attacker
Julia Foresi sure picked a good one. In the team's first NCAA Tournament appearance, she led the team with a career-high five assists. She also found the back of the net twice for a total of seven points, as well as securing two ground balls and causing two turnovers.
In the spotlight throughout the game was Capital's offensive firepower. The top three scorers on the squad combined for 15 goals and a total of 23 points.
Grace Osborn led the way with six goals and one assist. She was of course joined by
Brooke Delara with five goals and three assists, and
Luci Kanowsky with four and four. Kanowsky's four assists tied her career number in that category. Five other Comets found the back of the net: the aforementioned Foresi had two, and
Dylan Smith,
Avery Hart,
Abigail Midnight, and
Skyla Caito each had one.
The head of the ground ball pickup crew was
Avery Hart. She tied her career-high with four scoops. Osborn (2),
Maddy Radanof (2),
Hanna Searles (2),
Katie Page (2), Foresi (2),
Molly Searles, Delara,
Bee Kuehn, Midnight, and Haliegh McPhillips joined her in that column.
The stars of the Comet offense were also responsible for a healthy amount of defense in the game as the two leaders in caused turnovers made their presence known in the Capital midfield, giving the Cap back line plenty of support. Osborn and Delara tied as lead in the category with three apiece.
Capital held a clear advantage on the draw despite a slow start. Overall, the Comets pulled in 18 of the 27 available draw controls. Osborn and Page took to tracking down the majority of the draws with Obsorn reeling in seven and Page bagging six. Delara (3) and Hart (2) also contributed to efforts in the center circle.
The mainstay of the Capital cage, senior
Bee Kuehn, made three saves in the contest. She adds another winning decision to a long line of victories on her spotless record this year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Comets got going early, getting the first goal from
Brooke Delara just under three minutes into the contest, marking a historic moment as the team's first tally in NCAA play.
Hamline hit back with a free-position goal just a couple of minutes later to tie things at one, but then the Comets ramped it up, averaging a goal nearly every 45 seconds of play to finish out the first quarter with a 11-1 lead.
Out of the first quarter break, Capital scored the first two of the second frame as
Skyla Caito and
Grace Osborn found nylon.
Down 13-1, the Pipers' Maitland Luksan ended their drought with an unassisted goal, bringing the score to 13-2. From there, Capital cruised to halftime, only scoring once more off the stick of
Luci Kanowsky.
The Purple and White kept it relatively quiet in the third quarter as well, scoring just three times courtesy of
Abigail Midnight,
Brooke Delara and
Grace Osborn. Hamline's Taryn Leonard scored in the middle to break up the Comet offense.
In the fourth quarter, Capital put the game to bed as Kanowsky, Delara,
Dylan Smith and
Avery Hart rattled off goals to put the cherry on top for the Comets.
A late Hamline goal from Tara DeLeo provided a last bit of consolation for the Pipers before the final horn rang with the score 21-4 in favor of Capital.
THE OPPONENT
Four different Pipers scored in the game for Hamline as Maitland Luksan, Taryn Leonard, Molly Garin, and Tara DeLeo found the back of the net. Luksan and Analisa Aragon registered assists. Goalie Justine Case recorded 11 saves in the Hamline cage.
UP NEXT
Capital will now advance to the second round to face the No. 20 ranked, and hosts, University of Chicago tomorrow, May 15th at 1 p.m. CST. For those unable to make the trip, stats and video can be found online at athletics.capital.edu.
NCAA FIRST ROUND PRESS CONFERENCE
