BELOIT, Wis. – The Beloit College women's lacrosse team, fueled by an explosive eight-goal performance from Maya DeGeorge (Grand Junction, Colo.), held off a fierce late charge from Concordia Wisconsin to secure a thrilling 15-14 victory at Strong Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The crucial conference win improves the Buccaneers' record to 5-3 overall and evens their conference mark at 2-2. It moves CUW to 3-7 and 2-2 in NACC play.
The Buccaneers came out firing, establishing an early advantage by outscoring the Falcons 6-3 in the opening period. DeGeorge got things started less than three minutes in, followed shortly by Johanna McNair's (Fishers, Ind.) first tally. Although Concordia answered, Beloit responded with goals from Menah Garcia (New Hope, Minn.), McNair and two more from DeGeorge, including one on a free position shot, to build momentum.
Beloit maintained their lead through the middle periods, holding an 8-6 advantage at halftime and extending it slightly to 10-8 after three quarters. DeGeorge continued her scoring barrage, adding goals in the second and third periods, while Cassidy Felix (Bellflower, Calif.) also found the net, converting a free position shot in the third.
The fourth quarter saw a determined comeback attempt by CUW, who outscored Beloit 6-5 in the final frame. The Falcons tied the game multiple times, creating a tense atmosphere down the stretch. However, Beloit showed resilience. When DeGeorge netted her seventh goal of the game at the 13:34 mark in the fouth, she recorded her 100th career goal. After Concordia knotted the score at 13-13, Daisy Kleinhoffer (Minooka, Ill.) scored a crucial man-up goal at the 7:56 mark to briefly regain the lead for Beloit.
After the Falcons tied it once more, Felix netted what would prove to be the game-winner for Beloit with 4:59 remaining, making it 15-14. Beloit's defense held firm in the final minutes to seal the victory.
DeGeorge was the undeniable offensive star for Beloit, scoring eight times on 13 shots (10 on goal) and dominating the draw with 9 controls. McNair contributed significantly with a hat trick (3 goals), an assist, 4 ground balls, 4 draw controls, and 4 caused turnovers in a stellar all-around effort. Felix added two important goals, including the game-winner, while also collecting 4 ground balls and causing 3 turnovers.
Goalkeeper Kim Pilon (Birch Run, Mich.) played a vital role in the win, making 10 saves against a high volume of shots (32 total shots, 24 on goal from Concordia). The Beloit defense was active, forcing 23 turnovers from the Falcons while committing only 18 themselves. The Buccaneers were also highly efficient on clears, successfully converting 17 of 18 attempts.
The Buccaneers head to Mount Vernon, Iowa for a midweek match up with the Rams of Cornell College. Game time is set for 6 pm.
