Bearcats Top Loggers 13-9, Improve to 5-1 in NWC

By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant

TACOMA, Wash. – The Willamette University women's lacrosse team jumped out to a 5-0 lead and played even with the University of Puget Sound the rest of the way for a 13-9 win on Sunday, April 3 at Baker Stadium. The Bearcats improved to 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the Northwest Conference. Puget Sound dropped to 6-2 on the season and 4-2 in the conference.

"Today was a great team win," Willamette Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Sarah Lautenbach said. "We focused on one quarter at a time and put emphasis on using our systems over an individual. We moved the ball well on the attacking end and tried to make quick adjustments on the defensive side."

Four different players scored for the Bearcats as they took a 5-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Shea Richardson-Pepper (Fy., D/M, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) finished an assist from Laura Kelly (Sr., A, Mountainview, CA/Mountainview HS) at the 13:46 mark to put Willamette on the board.

Catie Kawamura (Jr., A, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) and Maddie Garcia (Jr., M, Encinitas, CA/San Dieguito HS) tallied unassisted goals, just over 30 seconds apart to stretch the lead to 3-0. Lily Bachiochi (Fy., A, Henderson, NV/Coronado HS) closed out the period with back-to-back goals, scoring the second off an assist from Kelly with just 24 seconds on the clock.

The Loggers struck twice in the opening two minutes of the second period before Kawamura sandwiched a pair of scores around a goal from Jenna Kisner to give the Bearcats a 7-3 advantage with 5:55 remaining in the half. Analise Wilson (So., M, Temecula, CA/Chaparral HS) scored off an assist from Kendyl Jennings (So., M, Keiser, OR/McNary HS) to counter a Puget Sound goal to make the score 8-4 at the break.

The Loggers held the edge in the third quarter, 4-3, with Garcia, Kawamura and Kelly finding the net for Willamette to keep the Bearcats in front, 11-7. The teams each tacked on a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes with Hannah Bushing bookending scores from Wilson and Bachiochi for the final of 13-9.

Kawamura led the attack with four goals while Bachiochi finished with a hat-trick as well, netting three on the day. Shelby Sawyer (Jr., GK, Marysville, WA/Bio Med Academy) made five saves and controlled eight ground balls in the nets for Willamette. Emma Canchola (Sr., D, Oregon City, OR/Oregon City HS) picked up four ground balls as well.

The Bearcats head north again next weekend. They travel to Whitworth University on Saturday and then to Whitman College on Sunday for a pair of NWC match ups. Both games are scheduled for 1 p.m. (PDT)