May 4, 2003

Box Score

PALO ALTO, Calif. - The University of Denver women's lacrosse team bested UC Davis, 13-10, this afternoon for a third-place finish at the Mountain Pacific Lacrosse League (MPLL) playoffs. Denver improves to 8-6 on the season as the Pioneers conclude their first winning season in Division I play. In the championship match, Stanford to took home its second consecutive league title with a 15-14 win over California.

In the consolation game, both teams scored in the first few minutes for a 1-1 tie, but the Pioneers closed out the last 7:35 of the first half with a 3-0 run for a 7-5 halftime margin. First-year Steph Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) notched all three of her goals in the first 30 minutes to pace Denver.

After the break, sophomore midfielder Courtnay Gerl (Palm Beach, Fla.) netted a career-high three goals as the Pioneers put together a 3-1 drive in the first 17 minutes. Junior co-captain Patience Baldwin (Baltimore, Md.) chalked up two of her three goals in the last eight minutes as Denver held off the Aggies down the stretch.

Both seniors found the back of the net in their last contest, with Mariana Spry (Nashua, N.H.) scoring twice and Sarah Medwell (Seattle, Wash.) once. Sophomore midfielder Tanya Fuchs (Bay Shore, N.Y.) also added three points to the cause, scoring once and helping on two others.

Davis' Jamie Fitzpatrick was a force posting six points on a game-high four goals and two assists. Kate Hanson also had a hat trick from the Aggies.

Denver keeper sophomore Steph Schneider (Leesburgh, Va.) picked up 10 saves on the day while UC Davis keeper Kristen Braasch had eight.

With the loss to graduation of Spry and Medwell, the Pioneers are expected to return nine starters next year, including Baldwin, Greenlees, Fuchs, Gerl and Schneider.