BOULDER – The No. 15 University of Denver women's lacrosse team defeated No. 25 Colorado 9-7 on Tuesday afternoon. The Pioneers sit at 8-3 on the season, while CU dropped to 5-5.
The victory pushed Denver to 4-2 all-time over its northern rivals, winning the last two contests against the Buffs (March 2018 and March 2019).
"I thought we really persevered to get the win today," said head coach
Liza Kelly. "CU is a great team, and they gave us a run for our money. There were a few aspects on our side that we'll need to work on at practice in the next few days, but overall it was a good win and I'm proud of the girls."
Pioneer Performers:
Five Pioneers contributed to Denver's nine goals in the contest, with
Quintin Hoch-Bullen,
Julia Feiss,
Bea Behrins and
Eliza Radochonski all totaling two.
Elizabeth Behrins posted the remaining goal.
Hannah Liddy totaled three assists, followed by
Kendra Lanuza (two) and
Molly Little (one).
Maddie Baum held down center field, winning six draw controls. Little followed with four against the Buffs, also tallying a team-high three caused turnovers.
Carson Gregg played all 60 minutes in net, totaling seven saves to bring her total to 49 on the year.
Timeline:
The Pioneers shot out of the gate running, putting up five goals in the first eight minutes of the game. Lanuza assisted on three of the first four goals, serving as a valuable asset in the attack position. Hoch-Bullen's first goal of the game came off the free position shot, the sole free position goal of the game for the Pioneers. Colorado responded with back-to-back goals at 22:07 and 16:58, but the Pioneers posted three more to lead 8-2 at the half.
The second half started slow, going a full 12 minutes without either team scoring. The Buffs' Jen Mistretta broke the standstill by putting one past Gregg.
Bea Behrins responded less than two minutes later with an incredible goal, catching a pass mid-air for a line drive into the net. CU responded four more times that half, but it wasn't enough for the victory.
What's Next:
The Pioneers will return home to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium for the first time since February 26, opening BIG EAST competition against Old Dominion on Saturday, March 30 at 2:30 p.m. MT.
PIONEER MOVEMENT:
Fans interested in making a donation to the women's lacrosse program can do so by
clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.
POSTSEASON WATCH PARTY LOCATIONS:
For all nationally televised 2019 postseason contests throughout Denver Athletics, join one of Denver's Official Watch Parties at the following locations: Crimson and Gold, Stadium Inn, The Pioneer and Smiling Moose.
