Scots' Defense Causes Havoc in 14-7 Win

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – The College of Wooster women's lacrosse team doubled up Virginia Wesleyan University 14-7 on Saturday afternoon at Birdsong Field.

Team defense was a hallmark of Saturday's game, as Wooster improved to 6-0 for the second consecutive season. Wooster allowed seven or fewer goals for the fifth straight game, and the Fighting Scots' 21 caused turnovers marked a season-high by seven. No singular Scot dominated the caused turnover stats, with junior Kenzie Smith's three ranking as the top total. Five Scots had two caused turnovers, while 14 of the 26 Wooster players who saw action had at least one.

Eight of Wooster's 14 goals came on possessions started by caused turnovers, and that group of caused turnovers was spread out among seven Scots. Sophomore Kenzie Morris created two of the turnovers that led to Wooster goals, while first-year Lizzie Hardy and senior Clare Leithauser caused two others in the first period. Three of Wooster's five first-period goals and all three third-period scores came following caused turnovers.

Two of Wooster's caused turnover-to-goal stretches came in period two, when the Scots took command of the game. Senior Anna Truong scored the first of four straight Wooster goals, while Morris' free-position shot upped the lead to 9-3 at the 7:12 mark. Senior Jill Murray built the lead back to six at halftime before Truong and senior Hannah Shaw capped a 7-1 run that spanned 19:35.

Morris, Murray, and Shaw all had hat tricks for Wooster in the scoring column, senior Britta Treu was the facilitator with a game-high four assists, and Truong scored twice for the Scots. Wooster's 23 groundballs were spread out among 14 players. Leithauser, sophomore Lexi Sarne, and Smith scooped up three apiece. Hardy tracked down five of Wooster's 11 draw controls, while sophomores Ashley Reyonlds and JG Garrison combined for four saves.

Michaela Elston won six draw controls and tied for Virginia Wesleyan's (1-6) lead with two caused turnovers. Shannon DeMarinis and Mikayla Szudera scored two goals apiece and Brittneyann Hoover made 14 saves.

Wooster outshot Virginia Wesleyan 33-17 and had 23 groundballs to the Marlins' 18.

Notable, Wooster's 21 caused turnovers are tied for the 21st-most in a NCAA Div. III game this spring.

Next, Wooster concludes its Virginia trip with a 6 p.m. game at Averett University (4-0) on Tuesday, March 21.