Wooster Quieted in NCAC Opener

GRANVILLE, Ohio – Sophomore Sidney O'Rourke won seven draw controls and senior Kenzie Smith scored three times for The College of Wooster women's lacrosse team in its North Coast Athletic Conference-opener at Denison University. The Big Red topped the Fighting Scots 19-10 at Kienzle-Hylbert Field.

Wooster (8-2, 0-1 NCAC) outscored Denison (8-4, 2-0 NCAC) 4-3 over the final 15 minutes of play. All four of those goals came consecutively in the game log and were scored by four different Scots. Junior Kaitlyn McBride was the most involved offensively with a goal and an assist in the fourth quarter.

Early on, senior Ciara O'Connor scored on a McBride-assisted goal that tied the game at one. Denison's Merrill Rollhaus won the ensuing draw control that led up to a Josie Lucchesi goal that held up as the go-ahead score. The Big Red pulled away with a 6-1 scoring advantage in the second quarter.

One of Wooster's strong defensive stands came late in the first quarter. Junior Ashley Reynolds made one of her five saves in the final four minutes, and just over a minute later, McBride caused a Julianne Henigan turnover and came away with the groundball in Wooster's offensive end.

Wooster's attacking core slowed Denison on several occasions in the game, as half of the team's six caused turnovers were recorded by attackers or offensive midfielders. Sophomore Brynne Snaguski and Smith joined McBride in the caused turnover column.

McBride's big night ended with a game-high four assists and a team-high five points. Junior Kenzie Morris followed O'Rourke's seven draw controls with six, and as a team Wooster finished with 14.

Lucchesi and Anna DeVuono were the offensive stars for Denison, combining for nine goals on 13 shots. Mary Daniel matched O'Rourke for the game-high in draw controls, while Grace Schlossberg was credited with four of the Big Red's 13 caused turnovers.

Denison outshot Wooster 35-22 and had 15 turnovers to the Scots' 18.

Next, Wooster hosts Wittenberg University (6-6, 0-2 NCAC) at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 13. The program will hold a special recognition at halftime to celebrate 50 years of women's lacrosse at the College.