ELMHURST, Ill. – In a non-conference road test this evening, the Beloit College women's lacrosse team showed significant grit and special-teams execution despite falling to Elmhurst University with a final score of 13-3.
While the Buccaneers (0-2, 0-0 NACC) faced a high-powered Bluejay offense, the game was highlighted by the standout performance of Julia Fussy (Mahtomedi, Minn.), who was involved in every single Beloit goal, and a defensive unit that out-hustled the opposition on the ground.
Sophomore attacker Fussy was the engine for the Beloit offense throughout the contest. Fussy finished the day with three points, netting two goals and providing the assist on the team's third.
Beloit's first breakthrough came late in the second period. Capitalizing on a man-up opportunity at the 2:35 mark, Fussy found the back of the net unassisted to put the Buccaneers on the board. She repeated the feat in the fourth period, scoring another man-up goal with 13:30 remaining to spark a late-game surge for the Bucs.
The final Beloit highlight came in the closing minutes of the game. Showing their resilience while playing a player down, Cecilia Johnson (Mobile, Ala.) notched a man-down goal at the 2:15 mark of the fourth period, assisted by Fussy. It was a clinical finish that rewarded the Buccaneers' persistence.
Despite the scoreline, Beloit dominated the battle for possession on the turf. The Buccaneers collected an impressive 31 ground balls compared to Elmhurst's 29.
Fussy led the way in this category as well, vacuuming up a team-high 7 ground balls. She was supported by a disciplined defensive effort from Tate Hutchinson (Calgary, Alberta) and Natasha Ludwig (Royalton), who each recorded 4 ground balls. Ludwig also contributed significantly to the transition game, leading the team with 2 draw controls and 2 caused turnovers.
In the net, Kim Pilon (Birch Run, Mich.) played the full 60 minutes, recording 4 saves while facing a relentless 27 shots from the Bluejay offense.
Elmhurst jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the first period, but Beloit's defense tightened as the game progressed. The Buccaneers played their most competitive lacrosse in the final frame, scoring two goals and matching Elmhurst's defensive intensity.
While the Bluejays (2-3, 0-0 CCIW) were led by Grace Lorkiewicz's four goals, the Buccaneers proved they could execute under pressure, scoring all three of their goals during special-teams situations (two man-up and one man-down).
The Buccaneers head to Strong Stadium for the first time in 2026 on Wednesday when they will host Augustana at 6 pm.
