Spartans Suffer First Loss of Season in Tennessee
Mar 8, 2015
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Dubuque women’s lacrosse team had their season-opening, two-game winning streak halted after a 21-9 setback at Rhodes College on Sunday afternoon.
Kelly Wetherald netted a team-high three goals for the Spartans (2-1) in their first game outside the Midwest in program history.
Playing in sunny Memphis, Tenn., the Spartans’ Bridget Schirmers scored her first of two goals off a free position shot to give UD the 1-0 advantage. Judy Borah countered a Rhodes goal and UD utilized a man-up situation with a Wetherald score to make the score 3-3 with 21:59 left in the first.
UD pulled to within 7-6 after a 3-0 run fueled by a pair of goals from Breann Tjaarda. Rhodes closed the half on a 4-0 streak and went into halftime with an 11-6 lead.
The Spartans would come no closer as Rhodes (6-0) outscored UD 10-3 in the second thanks to a 25-9 shot advantage.
Goalkeeper Chelsea Hawkins led the Spartans defensively with a season-high 17 saves. Another season-high plagued the Spartans after surrendering 26 turnovers and forcing 16 against Rhodes.
UD was outshot 48-20 with Wetherald and Schirmers pacing the Spartans with six each. Robyn Wittkopf earned a team-high four draw controls and Tjaarda snagged three ground balls.
Attacker Kendall Cunningham of the Lynx racked up a game-high six goals on 12 shots.
The Spartans return to the friendly confines of Oyen Field for a five-game homestand starting against Robert Morris University on Friday, March 13 at 3:00 p.m.
