CHICAGO, IL – On a cool evening at Stuart Field, the Beloit College Buccaneers women's lacrosse team demonstrated remarkable resilience, outscoring Illinois Tech in the second half despite falling 13-7 in a conference matchup this evening.
The story of the game for the Buccaneers (0-12, 0-7 NACC) was the dominant two-way play of Willow Mashkuri (Middlesex, Vt.). Mashkuri was a force on both ends of the field, leading the Buccaneers with a hat trick (3 goals) and providing the team's lone assist. Perhaps even more impressive was her defensive presence; Mashkuri recorded a staggering 8 caused turnovers and scooped up 3 ground balls, constantly disrupting the Scarlet Hawks' rhythm.
The Buccaneers found themselves in an early hole as the Scarlet Hawks (4-11, 2-5 NACC) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first period. However, Beloit refused to back down. After the initial surge by the Hawks, the Beloit defense, anchored by goalkeeper Kim Pilon (Birch Run, Mich.), tightened up significantly. Pilon was spectacular under pressure, finishing the day with 15 saves to keep the Buccaneers within striking distance.
After a scoreless first period for the Buccaneers, Julia Fussy (Mahtomedi, Minn.) ignited the offense early in the second quarter with a gritty unassisted goal to break the ice. The momentum carried into the third period, where Natasha Ludwig (Royalton) found the back of the net on a clutch free-position shot. Mashkuri then took command of the offensive end, scoring two consecutive unassisted goals—the second of which came during a crucial man-up advantage to pull the Buccaneers within five.
The final frame saw Beloit's special teams continue to shine as Cecilia Johnson (Mobile, Ala.) capitalized on another man-up opportunity following a precise assist from Mashkuri. Ludwig added her second goal of the day shortly after on another successful free-position attempt, and Mashkuri capped off the Buccaneers' scoring by completing her hat trick with a final unassisted strike in the closing minutes of the match.
While the final score favored the hosts, Beloit led the game in several hustle categories. The Buccaneers forced a total of 20 caused turnovers, showcasing an aggressive defensive identity. Along with Mashkuri and Fussy, Chrissy Niesel (Herne, Germany) and Claire Dixon (Edwards, Colo.) were instrumental in the defensive effort, combining for four caused turnovers.
The Buccaneers head to Milwaukee on Saturday for a matchup with MSOE. Game time at Viets field is set for 12 pm.
