VILLANOVA – The No. 14 University of Denver women's lacrosse team defeated Villanova 14-8 on Friday evening to become the 2019 BIG EAST Regular Season Champions for the first time in program history. The Pioneers improved to a 13-2 (5-0 BIG EAST) mark, while the Wildcats dropped to a 10-7 (3-2 BIG EAST) record.
The Crimson and Gold will enter the conference tournament, held in Milwaukee, Wis. May 2-4, as the No. 1 seed.
"I am excited for this group to finish the regular season on a high note," said head coach
Liza Kelly. "Villanova is a very good team and gave us a run for our money, but we held our ground, remembered our training, and did the job we came to do."
BIG EAST Success:
Finishing their 2019 campaign with a 5-0 record, the Pioneers became the 15th team in the BIG EAST to complete a perfect season. The last time Denver went undefeated in conference play was in 2014 while they were still in the MPSF, going 9-0.
Pioneer Performers:
Seven Pioneers contributed to the team's 14 goals.
Quintin Hoch-Bullen and
Eliza Radochonski led with three apiece against the Wildcats, while
Julia Feiss,
Kendra Lanuza and
Bea Behrins all posted two, and
Kailee Lammers and
Elizabeth Behrins each had one.
Carson Gregg spent all 60 minutes in net for the Pioneers, making seven saves and a .467 save percentage.
Maddie Baum totaled seven draw controls, while
Molly Little posted four and
Audrey Schreck accumulated three. Denver won the first seven draws of the second half, accumulating 14 total in the contest.
Bea Behrins posted a team-high three ground balls against the Wildcats, followed by
Kennedy Milburn, Hoch-Bullen, Lanuza, and Little who all had two.
Career Milestone for Lanuza:
Lanuza earned her 100th career assist in the victory over Villanova, siting at No. 4 in Denver all-time records. She has totaled 26 this year as a senior, on top of 28 her junior year, 37 as a sophomore and nine as a freshman. Lanuza's 37 during her sophomore season are tied for seventh in the DU individual season records.
By The Numbers:
The Crimson and Gold totaled 39 shots and 24 shots on goal to blast past the Wildcats. Villanova tallied just 24 shots and 15 shots on goal. Denver's scoring defense was ranked No. 1 in the nation entering the contest (6.57).
Timeline:
The Pioneers came out of the gate running, putting up four shots on goal in the first 10 minutes of play. Unfortunately Olivia Gonzales of Villanova was solid in net, saving everything that came her way. Hoch-Bullen finally broke the stalemate with 19 minutes remaining in the first half, boosting the Pioneers to a 1-0 lead. Radochonski posted her first of the day with 18 minutes left, and Hoch-Bullen put two more in the back of the net for a hat trick, only 15 minutes into the game. Villanova notched its first goal of the night with 11 minutes in the first half, but the Crimson and Gold responded with three more to enter halftime up 7-3.
Denver kicked off the second half with two goals in a minute and a half, leading 9-3. The Wildcats posted their first of the second half six minutes later, but
Bea Behrins quickly followed with her first of the evening. The Pioneers went on to score six more in the half, while the Wildcats posted five for a final score of 14-8.
What's Next:
The Pioneers will travel to the BIG EAST Tournament on May 2-4 in Milwaukee, Wis. Game times will be announced at a later date.
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.
