Week in Review: Denver Lacrosse Teams Face Diverging Fortunes
In a week of highs and lows for the Denver lacrosse programs, the women’s team celebrated a significant victory while the men’s team faced a disappointing defeat that jeopardized their postseason aspirations.
Women’s Team Clinches Big East Title
The Denver women’s lacrosse team secured the Big East regular season championship with an impressive 17-7 home victory over Villanova. Entering the match with a three-game winning streak and a strong 4-1 record in the conference, Denver found themselves in a crucial battle against Villanova, who also boasted a 4-1 record in the Big East.
Denver opened the game with a commanding performance, leading 5-2 by the end of the first quarter and dominating the second quarter to go into halftime with a 9-2 advantage. The exceptional defensive display was spearheaded by junior goalkeeper Emelia Bohi, who recorded six saves and notably held the Wildcats scoreless during the second quarter.
Redshirt junior attacker Raegan Wilson was a standout performer, achieving a career-high five goals, including a hat trick in the first half, along with two assists. The offensive support came from sophomore midfielder Olivia Ripple and freshman attacker Eva Thomsen-Marr, both of whom contributed hat tricks to the team’s effort.
With this victory, Denver completed the regular season with a 12-5 overall record, marking their sixth consecutive Big East regular season title. The team now looks ahead to the Big East tournament in Philadelphia, where they will face the No. 4 seed Georgetown in the semifinal round.
Men’s Team Misses Tournament Spot
In stark contrast, the Denver men’s lacrosse team experienced a setback that resulted in their elimination from the Big East tournament. Their 18-11 loss against Marquette left them with a fifth seed in the league, failing to qualify for the four-team postseason bracket.
The match began on a positive note for Denver, who surged ahead with a 3-0 start. However, Marquette quickly countered, posting a 5-1 run to take the lead 5-4 by the end of the first quarter. Unfortunately for Denver, this brief lead was their only advantage for the remainder of the game, as Marquette continued to extend their lead, going up 12-6 midway through the third quarter and limiting Denver to a goal drought of eight minutes.
Although Denver attempted a comeback with a three-goal rally, narrowing the score to 12-9 early in the fourth quarter, Marquette’s response was decisive. The Golden Eagles scored five unanswered goals to seal the game at 18-11, leaving Denver to reflect on a frustrating end to their season.
As a result of this outcome, Marquette has claimed the fourth seed in the Big East tournament and will face the No. 1 seed Georgetown in the opening round, hosted by DU at Peter Barton Stadium.
