ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University women's lacrosse team defeated Bethel University in the team's home opener on Monday evening by a score of 13-6. The Thunder used a wide shot differential of 35-16 and secured 30 groundballs in the game to propel the team to victory.
Trine now sits at 2-0 after beating Wittenberg University in their season opener last Saturday. This was the first game of the 2023 season for the Bethel Pilots, who are 0-1.
It was a slow start in the first quarter as both teams turned the ball over frequently trying to establish their footing on a wet turf from a torrential downpour earlier in the day. Bethel netted the first goal of the game with just over nine minutes remaining in the period, but from there the Thunder would take control.
Junior Danielle Gargiulo scored off a free position attempt, followed by a man up goal by sophomore Calista Richmond and shortly thereafter freshman Elizabeth Larson found the back of the net. That put Trine ahead 3-1 after 15 minutes of play. The Thunder were scoreless in the second period, but tremendous defense kept the team ahead as they allowed just one score by the Pilots.
Coming out of halftime, Trine would rattle off eight consecutive goals to put the contest out of reach. The Thunder won the third quarter by a mark of 5-0. Sophomore Brooke Hoag netted the first two scores for Trine and Richmond followed that up with three in a row. Hoag, junior Alyssa Keptner and sophomore Courtney Rhodes put the team up 11-2 with nine minutes to play.
Gargiulo and Hoag each added one more score in the closing minutes for the Thunder while the Pilots were able to nab a few garbage time goals to get to the 13-6 final total.
Richmond and Hoag tied for the team lead with four goals and two assists each. Both student-athletes took five shots, all of them on net. Gargiulo grabbed nine of the team's 15 draw controls. 30 groundballs were dispersed among 13 players, led by senior Ella Dougherty with five. Sophomore goalie Maddy Kasten and Rhodes had four groundballs apiece. Kasten (2-0) recorded five saves in net.
Trine hits the road on Wednesday, March 1 when the team travels to Ohio Northern University. The opening draw is scheduled for 7 p.m.
