May 3, 2003

Box Score

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Junior co-captain Patience Baldwin (Baltimore, Md.) scored two goals and sophomore midfielder Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.) added one goal and one assist, yet it was not enough as California posted a 15-6 win over the University of Denver women's lacrosse team in the semifinals of the Mountain Pacific Lacrosse League (MPLL) playoffs Saturday afternoon. Denver (7-6) will face UC Davis in Sunday's third-place game after the Aggies fell to Stanford by a score of 19-3.

Baldwin's two goals bring her team-leading goal total to 48; that is the second-highest single-season total in Pioneer history, Baldwin has now found the net 21 straight games going back to the 2002 season. Fuchs notched her team-best 11th assist, also the second-highest single-season total in Pioneer history.

The nation's first-place goal scorer, Baldwin, started the scoring 2:29 into the game. She took a pass on the outside of the center circle and turned on the speed, cruising past the Cal defense to give the Pioneers the early 1-0 lead. Cal netted the next six scores to put them in the lead. Fuchs found an open Mariana Spry (Nashua, N.H.) at the 27:49 mark, ending a 25:20 scoring drought for the Pioneers to cut the deficit to 6-2.

Golden Bears junior Emily Edward came back from break and chalked up three goals as Cal went on to a nine-goal showing in the second half. Fuchs sandwiched a goal between Edwards' hat trick and the Bears led 9-3 with 17:08 left to play. First-year Steph Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) notched Denver's second goal of the half at the 52:56 mark, but Leanne Zilioli recorded her fourth score of the afternoon. Denver tacked on two goals in the final minutes, but Cal put up its highest offensive output of the season with a 15-6 victory.

Denver keeper sophomore Steph Schneider (Leesburgh, Va.) picked up a season-high 17 saves on the day while California keepers Eden Coehlo and Kate Calligaro combined for nine saves and only six goals allowed.