By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
NEWBERG, Ore. -- Lily Bachiochi (So., ATT, Henderson, NV/Coronado HS) of Willamette University forced a turnover by the Whitman College goalkeeper and Claire Kisielnicki (Fy., ATT, Manitou Springs, CO/Manitou Springs HS) grabbed the ground ball and scored with 1:54 left in the first overtime period, as the Bearcats downed the Blues, 14-13, at the Northwest Conference Women's Lacrosse Tournament on Saturday, April 22.
Maddie Garcia (Sr., MID, Encinitas, CA/San Dieguito Academy) led the Bearcats with five goals. Bachiochi and Catie Kawamura (Sr., ATT, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) each scored three goals, while Kiselnicki finished with two goals and Shea Richardson-Pepper (So., DEF/MID, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) scored once. Gracie Maulik led Whitman with five goals and one assist. Madeleine Sherry was credited with four goals and two assists, and Eliza Daigle supplied two goals and three assists.
Willamette improved to 13-4 on the season and to 3-0 in games decided by one goal, including 2-0 in overtime. Earlier this season on Feb. 26, the Bearcats defeated the University of Puget Sound, 12-11 in overtime, at Sparks Field in Salem, Oregon. Willamette edged Whitman 13-12 in regulation on Sunday, April 16 at Sparks Field.
The win against Whitman in the semifinals at the Austin Sports Complex advanced Willamette into the NWC Tournament Championship game, set for Sunday, April 23 at 1 p.m. against George Fox University. The winner of Sunday's game will receive the NWC's first-ever automatic bid into the NCAA Division III National Tournament. This is the first year that the conference schedule in women's lacrosse has included an NWC Tournament. In Saturday's first semifinal game, George Fox defeated Whitworth University, 20-2.
"It was an exciting and hard-fought game from both teams," Willamette Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Sarah Lautenbach said. "We knew it would be close and really focused on executing the details leading up to today. We talked a lot about maintaining our composure and discipline when we got tired, whether it be shots, passes, or playing defense, and it was a big factor in our success.
"We struggled to find the groove with our shots in the first quarter, but we were able to make those adjustments moving forward," Lautenbach recalled. "Overall, we are proud and extremely excited to have this opportunity to compete at the first NWC Championship."
The Blues moved out to a 5-1 lead with 8:21 left in the first quarter. After Maulik scored the first goal, Willamette tied the game on a goal by Kisielnicki at the 12:49 mark. Whitman responded with four goals, as Maulik and three other players each scored one. WU pulled within 5-2 on a free position goal by Garcia with 1:55 remaining in the quarter.
Willamette's rally continued in the second quarter, as goals by Kawamura at 13:26 and Bachiochi at 11:18 cut the margin to 5-4. Kawamura set up Bachiochi's goal with a great pass toward the right post. Lindey Pasena-Littlesky and Sherry scored goals to give Whitman a 7-4 edge, before the Bearcats added three goals to tie the game at 7-7 with 0:48 left in the half. The three-goal surge included two goals by Kawamura, one on each side of a score by Bachiochi.
Garcia scored on a free position shot in a man-up situation with 13:11 to go in the third quarter as WU took its first lead at 8-7. Maulik recorded a goal for Whitman at the 11:26 mark, before Garcia started a 3-1 run for the Bearcats with another free position goal, this time at full strength. Willamette held an 11-8 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Whitman tallied the first goal of the fourth quarter, but Garcia scored on an assist from Bachiochi with 13:20 left for a 12-10 lead. The assist was Bachiochi's 39th of the season, tying the school record she set last season. Willamette increased the lead to 13-10 when Richardson-Pepper recorded a goal with 8:41 on the clock.
The Blues registered the next three goals, two by Majlik at 4:58 and 2:43, and one by Sherry with 2:15 to play, as Whitman tied the score. Neither team hit the nets again until Kiselnicki's game-winner early in the first three-minute overtime session.
Willamette achieved a 33-32 edge in shots, while Whitman owned a 24-23 margin in shots on target and a 21-10 advantage in draw controls. The Bearcats led 28-26 in ground balls and went 6 of 9 on free position shots. Whitman was 4 for 11 on free position attempts.
Shelby Sawyer (Sr., GK, Marysville, WA/Bio Med Academy) provided the Bearcats with 11 saves in goal for her fourth consecutive game in double digits. Sawyer is 12-4 on the season. Whitman goalie Korin Wheaton made nine saves.
Richardson-Pepper topped WU's chart with seven draw controls, seven ground balls, and four caused turnovers. Brooklynn Pearl (Fy., MID, Eugene, OR/Willamette HS) added four ground balls and was a key contributor on clears. Maulik led the Blues with 12 draw controls and tied Teagan Huff with four ground balls. Daigle caused four turnovers.
