STEVENS POINT, Wis. – In a challenging afternoon matchup at the UWSP Turf Facility, the Beloit College women's lacrosse team showed grit and persistence against an undefeated UW-Stevens Point squad. Despite a 15-1 final score in favor of the Pointers, the Buccaneers (0-4, 0-0 NACC) continued to fight until the final whistle, highlighted by a fourth-quarter breakthrough.
The highlight of the afternoon for the Buccaneers came with 11:54 remaining in the fourth quarter. After three periods of heavy defensive pressure from the Pointers (5-0, 0-0 WIAC), Beloit's offensive persistence paid off. Willow Mashkuri (Middlesex, Vt.) showcased her playmaking ability, weaving through the defense to fire home an unassisted goal. The score marked a well-deserved reward for the Buccaneers' attack, which had been knocking on the door throughout the second half.
Goalkeeper Kim Pilon (Birch Run, Mich.) was the backbone of the Beloit defense under a relentless barrage of shots. Pilon recorded an impressive 10 saves on the day, including several key stops in the first half to keep the Buccaneers within striking distance. Her leadership in the crease was supported by Natasha Ludwig (Royalton) and Kiera Fairnington (Fort Frances, Ontario), who each scooped up two ground balls to help clear the zone.
In the midfield, Julia Fussy (Mahtomedi, Minn.) and Tate Hutchinson (Calgary, Alberta) were instrumental in Beloit's transition game. Fussy led the team in the circle with four draw controls, providing the Buccaneers with critical possessions. Hutchinson remained aggressive on the offensive end throughout the game, matching Mashkuri's intensity by recording three shots and three draw controls of her own.
The Buccaneers' defensive unit tightened significantly as the game progressed. After allowing 10 goals across the middle two frames, Beloit held the high-powered Pointers offense to just three goals in the final quarter—their lowest-scoring period of the game.
Beloit also saw contributions from Cecilia Johnson (Mobile, Ala.), who forced a turnover and put two shots on goal, and Janelle Quast (Litchfield, Minn.), who added two caused turnovers to the defensive effort.
The Buccaneers are back in action at Strong Stadium on Wednesday when they host St. Mary's College (Ind.) at 4 pm.
