(Photo by Naji Saker)

Newberg, Ore. - Willamette Women's Lacrosse took an early lead in the Northwest Conference Tournament Semifinal match-up with Whitman College, but couldn't hold on and fell to the Blues 12-9.  Lily Bachiochi scored three of Willamette's opening five goals before being forced to leave the game midway through the second quarter after receiving a second yellow card.  Alex Warfel and Claire Kisielnicki each scored two goals for Willamette and Olivia Austin made seventeen saves in goal for the Bearcats.

Kisielnicki opened the scoring for Willamette less than a minute into the contest and the Blues tied it up a few minutes later.  Kisielnicki scored again with just over nine minutes to go in the quarter and Bachiochi added to the lead at the five-minute mark as the Bearcats carried a 3-1 into the second quarter.  

Bachiochi opened the scoring for Willamette in the second quarter to put the Bearcats ahead 4-1, and after Whitman scored to make it 4-2, Bachiochi struck again to put Willamette up 5-2 midway through the period.  After the Blues scored to cut the lead to two, Bachiochi earned her first yellow card with 5:57 left in the half.  About a minute after returning to the game, she earned her second yellow and was ruled out of the rest of the contest.  Playing down a player, the Bearcats were still able to carry a 6-3 into the halftime after Shea Richardson-Pepper scored with just over a minute to play.  Austin made eight saves in goal during the quarter to keep the Bearcats ahead.

The Blues took the lead in the third as they scored the opening four goals of the quarter to pull ahead 7-6 with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter.  A quick answer by Alex Warfel and a free position shot goal for Sydney Davis a few minutes later put Willamette back ahead 8-7, but the Blues scored in the final minute to send the game to the final period tied 8-8.

Warfel scored again to give the Bearcats a 9-8 lead less than a minute into the fourth, but that proved to be the final goal of the game for Willamette and the Blues closed out the contest with four straight goals to earn the 12-9 victory.  The Bearcats had a few chances to score in the final minutes, but weren't able to capitalize on two key free position shots down the stretch.

Defensively, Jay Shiflett and Syd Shoemaker each caused five turnovers during the match to lead the team.  Olivia Austin picked up eight ground balls to go with her seventeen saves, with Shoemaker picking up four.  

Willamette ends its season with an overall record of 9-7, finishing third in the NWC with a conference record of 6-2.