DENVER – The No. 10-ranked Denver Pioneers women's lacrosse team hosts the University of Colorado Buffaloes on Wednesday at 7 p.m. MT to begin two-game week to close out the regular season.
The Pioneers are on a season-long eight-game winning streak after defeating Villanova 16-8 last Saturday to secure at least a share of the regular-season championship in the Big East Conference. DU has now won the Big East in each of the last three full seasons: 2019, 2021 and 2022.
Denver and Colorado have met eight times since 2014, meeting every year except 2020 when that game was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pioneers own a 5-3 all-time record against the Buffs and are 3-1 in the last three matchups.
DU and CU played two games last season, with both teams winning on home turf. Colorado won 14-7 at Kittredge Field on Feb. 28, 2021 before Denver earned a 10-7 victory at Peter Barton Stadium on April 29, which also marked the last time the Pioneers have played a night game.
Denver wraps up the regular season on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT against Marquette on senior day. That contest will also mark the final game of Big East Conference play, and with a win the Pios will secure the No. 1 overall seed for the Big East Conference Tournament, which will be held at Peter Barton Stadium on May 5-7.
The Pioneers are also the defending Big East Tournament champions, winning the conference for the first time last season.
LAST TIME OUT
The Pioneers outscored the Villanova Wildcats 10-3 in the second half to pick up a 16-8 victory on Saturday at Villanova Stadium. Freshman
Lauren Black recorded her first career sock trick with six goals and also added an assist for Denver. Junior
Julia Gilbert added three goals as well and graduate student
Bea Behrins had four points (2g/2a).
Full Recap
HISTORY VS. COLORADO
Denver is 5-3 all-time against Colorado and 3-1 in the last four meetings dating back to 2018. The squads split two games in 2021, with each winning on home turf. DU owns a 3-1 all-time record versus CU at Peter Barton Stadium, which included a 15-4 win in the first-ever meeting on Feb. 19, 2014.
LAST MEETING VS. COLORADO: MARCH 29, 2021
The Pioneers, who ranked No. 15 in the country at the time, avenged its only loss of the regular season to that point with a 10-7 win over Colorado on March 29.
Sammie Morton had a career day to lead Denver on the defensive end, tying for the seventh-most caused turnovers in a game with six and also added two ground balls.
Molly Little had three caused turnovers, four ground balls and four draw controls.
Hannah Liddy had a game-high four points on a goal and three assists, picking up the three helpers needed to become the fourth player in program history to distribute 100 career assists.
Full Recap
QUICK HITS
- Senior Kailee Lammers was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, while midfielder Mollie Estepp was named Freshman of the Week. Lauren Black was recognized as well for her sock trick performance by being named to the conference's weekly honor roll.
- Lammers had a career-high six draw controls, four caused turnovers and three ground balls vs. Villanova.
- Estepp scored twice for her second career multi-goal game.
- Denver's 202 caused turnovers as a team are second in the nation, but the squad is first in the country averaging 13.47 CTs per game. The 202 caused turnovers rank seventh all-time in program history.
- The Pios have allowed just 7.87 goals per game, the fourth-fewest in the country.
- DU has scored double-digit goals in 12-of-14 wins and at least 14 tallies in each of the past five games.
- Defender Sam Thacker is one of 25 women nominees for the Tewaaraton Award, given to college lacrosse's top player.
- Thacker is first in the country with 45 caused turnovers and a 3.0 average per game.
- Bea Behrins ranks in the top 30 in the nation in goals per game at 3.4.
- Behrins leads the team with 51 goals, tied for the most in a season in her career as she also had 51 goals last year.
- Her 67 points on the season are one behind the career high of 68 (51g/17a) that she set in 2022.
- In program history, Berhins ranks…
- Fourth in career goals with 179, eight behind third-place Steph Greenlees (2003-2006).
- Seventh in career points with 229, two behind sixth-place Steph Greenlees (2003-2006).
- Tied for third in games played (76) and two away from tying for first place.
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