Willamette Defeats Lewis & Clark in Regular Season Opener, 20-2

Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Led by Claire Kisielnicki (So., ATT, Manitou Springs, CO/Manitou Springs HS) with five goals and one assists, and Shea Richardson-Pepper (Jr., DEF/MID, San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch HS) with four goals and one assist, Willamette University rolled past Lewis & Clark College, 20-2, in a non-conference women's lacrosse game on Tuesday, Feb. 27. It was Willamette's season opener, as the Bearcats moved to 1-0. L&C, playing its first season of women's lacrosse, fell to 0-3. The Pioneers are not competing in the Northwest Conference this season, but will begin NWC action in 2025.

Kisielnicki topped Willamette in goals scored and tied for the team lead with six total points. Lily Bachiochi (Jr., ATT, Henderson, NV/Coronado HS) earned three goals and three assists, as she also tallied six points. Richardson-Pepper followed with five points. Brooklynn Pearl (So., MID, Eugene, OR/Willamette HS) scored three goals for the Bearcats, while Cedric Shaw (Fy., MID, Jamul, CA/Valhalla HS) registered two goals and one assist.

Kendyl Jennings (Sr., MID, Keizer, OR/McNary HS) tacked on a goal and an assist. Alyssa Molisee (Fy., MID/ATT, Henderson, NV/Nevada State HS) and Catie Mohr (Fy., D/M, Portland, OR/Wilson HS) each scored one goal for the Bearcats.

Lewis & Clark's two goals were recorded by Kate Meinhard. Sage Swegle and Finley Allen each supplied Meinhard with one assist.

Willamette amassed eight goals in the first quarter, including three by Kisielnicki, who opened the scoring at 13:21. Pearl earned the Bearcats' second goal at 12:29. Later in the quarter, Kisielnicki put in back-to-back goals at 8:54 and 7:21 for WU's fourth and fifth tallies. Bachiochi and Shaw each provided two goals during the quarter.

The Bearcats added goals in the first six minutes of the second quarter on shots by Mohr at 11:46 on a free-position shot and by Kisielnicki at 9:12. Those two scores pushed the lead to 10-0 and the game was played with a running clock the rest of the way. Also scoring for Willamette in the second period were Jennings and Pearl. The free-position goal by Pearl gave the Bearcats a 12-0 halftime lead.

WU continued to pull away in the third quarter with six goals for an 18-0 advantage. Richardson-Pepper scored two of the last three goals in the quarter, and then achieved the first two goals in the fourth quarter, as WU took a 20-0 lead. Meinhard registered the final two goals of the game for Lewis & Clark to avoid a shutout.

In goal Olivia Austin (Fy., GK, San Diego, CA/LaJolla HS) of Willamette earned four saves and played all 60 minutes. For the Pioneers, Zoey Hamel-Hyland played the entire first half and was credited with three saves. She fell to 0-2 with the loss. Aster Daellenbach played the final 30 minutes for L&C and did not produce any saves.

Willamette outshot the Pioneers 33-10 overall and 23-6 in shots on goal. Kisielnicki and Bachiochi each took seven shots. The Bearcats attained a 19-7 margin in draw controls and a 19-14 edge in ground balls. The Bearcats caused six of L&C's 13 turnovers, led by Shaw, who forced three miscues. Willamette was 12 of 13 on clears and 4 for 6 on free-position shots.

The Bearcats will take on Eastern Oregon University in an exhibition game at Sparks Field on Saturday, March 2. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. PST.