Written by Mark Colachico, Contributing Writer
SALEM, Ore. – Anabel Ohsman (Sr., ATT/MID, Snohomish, WA/Glacier Park HS) scored five goals and registered four assists, as Willamette University's lacrosse team officially opened the 2021 season with a double-digit victory, 19-3, over crosstown rival Corban University Saturday afternoon, February 27, at Sparks Field. With the win, the Bearcats recorded their first win in 356 days -- following last year's canceled games due to COVID. Willamette improved to 1-0 overall and extended its winning streak to three games dating back to the 2020 season. Meanwhile, Corban, playing its first game in program history, fell to 0-1 overall.
Along with Ohsman, three other players – Maddie Garcia (So., MID, Encinitas, CA/San Dieguito Academy), Catie Kawamura (So., MID, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies), and Analise Wilson (Fy., MID, Temecula, CA/Chaparral HS) – registered three goals apiece to go along with a pair of goals each by Alayna Newland (Sr., ATT, Everett, WA/Archbishop Murphy HS) and Lexie Andrade (Sr., ATT, Petaluma, CA/Casa Grande HS).
Willamette outshot Corban, 30-21, including a 14-7 advantage in the second half. The Bearcats also won 14 of the game's 23 faceoffs, as Kawamura controlled a handful of the duals throughout the second half of play.
Goalkeepers Shelby Sawyer (So., Marysville, WA/Bio Med Academy) and Katie Hill (So., Belmont, CA/Carlmont HS) split time in net for Willamette, as Sawyer played the first 48:14 before giving way to Hill for the final 11:46 of the game. Sawyer picked up the win, as she registered a game-high 12 saves for the Bearcats.
Corban's Payton Nuse stood between the pipes throughout the game for the Warriors, as she registered six saves in the loss.
The Bearcats wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard, as Ohsman registered back-to-back goals with the first coming only 19 seconds into the contest. A little over four minutes later, Ohsman extended Willamette's lead to 2-0 with her second goal of the afternoon.
Corban answered back with a pair of goals by Sydney Davis and Liliana Rigdon, as the visiting Warriors evened the score at 2-2 with 16:38 remaining in the first half. Willamette then score 15 unanswered goals that included seven over the final 15-plus minutes of the first half, as the Bearcats took a 9-2 lead into halftime.
The second half featured the Bearcats scoring eight straight goals, as Willamette increased its lead to double digits on a goal by Ohsman at 27:12 to push the lead to 12-2 causing the running clock rule to be enforced.
Corban puts its third goal of the afternoon on the scoreboard when Davis scored her second goal of the day at 5:12 to pull the visiting Warriors within 14 goals (17-3).
Willamette's final two goals of the game came from Garcia and Newland, as the Bearcats added goals at 3:43 and 0:27 en route to securing the 19-3 victory.
Overall, Willamette controlled the game in the draw control circle, as the Bearcats registered a 14-9 advantage in draw controls (8-3 in the second half). Willamette also was successful on 13 of 15 clear attempts versus Corban's 9 clears in 11 attempts.
Willamette will be off for nearly a month before the Bearcats travel north to take on the Boxers of Pacific University of Oregon on Saturday, March 20, starting at 1:00 p.m. in Forest Grove.
