Box Score| Season Stats

STANFORD, Calif. - The University of Denver women's lacrosse team defeated the UC Davis Aggies 15-4 Thursday to advance to Friday's MPSF semifinal game against No. 1 seed [4/5] USC at 5 p.m. MT at Stanford University. The Pioneers earn a winning record for the first time this season at 9-8.

Denver held the Aggies scoreless for 41:17 and rattled off 13-straight goals to move past UC Davis into the MPSF semifinals.

Senior captain Christa Reese (Lutherville, Md.) scored four goals and added two assists for DU, while Nicole Martindale (Brooklin, Ontario) recorded seven points in the win, including a career-high four assists.

The Aggies began the scoring 2:20 into the game, but the Pioneers quickly matched them at one goal 0:39 later as senior captain Sarah Kasun (Bel Air, Md.) scored off Martindale's first assist of the night. UC Davis added one more goal with 25:56 remaining in the first half, but that would be the Aggies' final goal before Denver's run of 13.

Freshman Audrey Schreck (Charlottesville, Va.) kicked off the run as she converted on a free position goal to tie the game 2-2 with 21:56 to play in the first half. Casey White (Queensbury, N.Y.) finished an assist from Reese to give the Pioneers their permanent lead before Reese scored her first of the night on a free position attempt with 15:04 remaining in the first half.

Elizabeth Behrins (Basking Ridge, N.J.) continued the run with an unassisted goal, then Reese scored in transition off an assist from Schreck. Martindale increased Denver's lead to 7-2 with 7:35 to play in the first half with her first goal of the game. Reese completed her ninth hat trick of the season with 1:10 remaining in the first half to give DU the decisive 8-2 advantage at halftime.

Denver came out firing in the second half, scoring four goals in the first 4:06 of the second half. Kendra Lanuza (Littleton, Colo.) kicked off the scoring as she finished a goal off a Martindale assist just 0:29 into the period. Martindale dished another assist to another freshman as Behrins scored her second of the game 0:28 later for the 10-2 DU lead.

Caitlin Derry (Seal Beach, Calif.) found the back of the net as Behrins passed her the ball after drawing a free position opportunity with 27:05 to play in the game. Martindale closed out the four-goal run to begin the second half with a free position goal that gave Denver the 12-2 and running clock advantage over UC Davis.

Martindale scored her third goal of the game with 19:13 to play in an unsettled situation off an assist from Reese, then Reese scored an unassisted goal with 16:10 remaining in the game to increase the Pioneers' lead to 14-2 and DU's run to 13-straight goals.

UC Davis scored two of the final three goals for the final score of 15-4. Monica Lucas (Kensington, Md.) was the ninth and final Pioneer to score, as she finished an assist from Martindale with 12:44 remaining in the game. The Aggies converted on a free position to close out the game.

Denver outshot UC Davis 27 to 18, while goalkeeper Maddy Stevenson (Bainbridge Island, Wash.) made eight saves for a .667 save percentage in the game. The Pioneers also protected the ball, finishing 15-of-16 on clears and committing four fewer turnovers than the Aggies.

Denver will play 17-0 USC Friday at 5 p.m. MT in the first MPSF Semifinal game. USC sits at 17-0 behind MPSF Coach of the Year Lindsey Munday and MPSF Player of the Year Courtney Tarlteon.

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