WAVERLY, Iowa – The Trine University women's lacrosse team traveled to the Hawkeye state on Sunday to take on the Wartburg College Knights in the team's final non-conference contest of the 2022 season. The Thunder (6-2) rolled 18-4 over the Knights (2-7) and have matched their best win total in a season over their brief history in Trine athletics.
The Thunder utilized precision in their shooting percentage, hitting the back of the net on 72% of their attempts. 19 of 25 shots throughout the game were on-goal.
Calista Richmond [Portage, Mich. / Portage] found Ella Dougherty [Lowell, Mich. / Lowell] in the first minute of play to go up 1-0, then Richmond scored on her own less than one minute later to extend the gap. Courtney Rhodes [Monee, Ill. / Providence Catholic] and Liv Ghent [Byron Center, Mich. / Caledonia] each scored twice in the first quarter, with Ghent's second coming with a teammate in the penalty area. Chloe Vruno [Geneva, Ill. / St. Francis] notched a goal as well in the first to give Trine a 7-1 lead.
The Thunder did the same in the second quarter by scoring seven and surrendering just one to make it 14-2 at intermission. Danielle Gargiulo [Downers Grove, Ill. / Downers Grove], Nikki Hibler [West Lafayette, Ind. / Harrison] and Alyssa Keptner [Midland, Mich. / H.H. Dow] were new scorers for the visitors in the period.
With a running clock in the third and fourth quarters, the Thunder outscored their opposition 2-1 in both to complete the 18-4 victory. Gargiulo and Ghent added to their goal totals in the third, while Vruno found Ghent to start the fourth and scored herself a few minutes later.
Vruno and Ghent tied for the team lead with six points apiece. Vruno had two goals and a team-high four assists while Ghent led Trine with five goals scored and distributed one assist. Brooke Hoag [Portage, Mich. / Portage] had five of the team's 19 groundballs and goalie Jillian Rejczyk [Wauconda, Ill. / Wauconda] and Maddy Kasten [Battle Creek, Mich. / Harper Creek] combined to make nine saves on the defensive end.
The Thunder will begin Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play in their next game on Saturday, April 9 at 12 pm versus Calvin University at home. It will also serve as Senior Day for the Trine women's lacrosse program.