BELOIT, Wis. – On a cool afternoon at Strong Stadium, the Beloit College women's lacrosse team displayed a resilient spirit as they hosted Aurora University. Despite a 21-2 defeat at the hands of the Spartans (4-6, 2-0 NACC), the Buccaneers (0-6, 0-1 NACC) showed flashes of offensive coordination and defensive grit in front of their home crowd.
The highlight of the afternoon for the Buccaneers came from the duo of Willow Mashkuri (Middlesex, Vt.) and Menah Garcia (New Hope, Minn.). Mashkuri was the focal point of the Beloit offense, finishing the day with two points (one goal and one assist) and leading the team with three shots on goal.
Beloit's first scoring breakthrough occurred midway through the second period. At the 9:10 mark, Mashkuri found an opening in the Aurora defense and delivered a precise pass to Garcia, who buried the shot to put the Buccaneers on the board.
In the third period, Mashkuri took matters into her own hands. With 3:42 remaining in the quarter, she maneuvered through the Spartan defense to score an unassisted goal, marking her fourth goal of the season and capping off a strong individual performance.
While the scoreboard favored the visitors, several Buccaneers put up impressive numbers in the "hustle" categories. Julia Fussy (Mahtomedi, Minn.) was a force across the field, leading the team with six ground balls and causing a team-high four turnovers. Her defensive pressure was a key factor in Beloit successfully clearing the ball in the second half.
In the circle, Tate Hutchinson (Calgary, Alberta) and Fussy battled hard for possession, each securing four draw controls. Their efforts helped Beloit remain competitive in the midfield, totaling 12 draw controls on the day compared to Aurora's 13.
Between the pipes, goalkeeper Kim Pilon (Birch Run, Mich.) faced a relentless Spartan offense that fired 35 shots. Pilon stood tall for the full 60 minutes, recording seven saves and matching Fussy for the team lead in ground balls with six.
The Buccaneers are back in action at Strong Stadium on Thursday agaisnt Lake Forest College. Game time is set for 5 pm.
