BELOIT, Wis. – The Beloit College women's lacrosse team returned to their home turf this evening, demonstrating significant defensive resilience and grit in a conference matchup against Cornell College. Despite a 19-1 final result in favor of the visitors, the Buccaneers (0-10, 0-5 NACC) saw standout individual performances, particularly from their defensive unit and midfield specialists.
The highlight of the night for the Beloit offense came midway through the second period. Following a Ram's (3-8, 2-3 NACC) penalty, the Buccaneers moved into a man-up situation and executed their set play perfectly. At the 8:21 mark, Tate Hutchinson (Calgary, Alberta) found a seam in the Cornell defense and fired home a successful shot to put Beloit on the board.
Hutchinson was a focal point for the Buccaneers throughout the evening. Beyond her scoring contribution, she was instrumental in the midfield, winning a team-high 5 draw controls to help Beloit battle for possession against a fast-paced Cornell transition.
The final score belies the Herculean effort of Beloit goalkeeper Kim Pilon (Birch Run, Mich.). Facing a consistent barrage of shots from the Cornell offense, Pilon remained a steadying presence for the Buccaneers. She logged the full 60 minutes in goal and recorded a staggering 18 saves. Pilon was especially active in the second period, where she denied nine different scoring attempts, keeping the Buccaneers within striking distance during the first half.
Beloit's "never-quit" attitude was most evident in their pursuit of ground balls, where they nearly matched Cornell's output in several periods. Leading the charge was Julia Fussy (Mahtomedi, Minn.), who secured a team-high 6 ground balls. Fussy was a disruptor all night, consistently winning 50/50 battles in the defensive third.
Supporting the defensive effort was Sophia Dietz (Schaumburg, IL), who scooped up 4 ground balls, and Willow Mashkuri (Middlesex, Vt.), who contributed 4 ground balls and a caused turnover. Mashkuri also provided an offensive spark, recording two shots on goal and a free-position attempt.
The Bucs play their final home game on Saturday when they host Marian at 3 pm.
