Spartans Bested by Conference-Leading Carthage
Apr 18, 2015
BOX SCORE
DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque women's lacrosse team hung with the CCIW leader, Carthage, in nearly every statistical category except the scoreboard in an 18-6 defeat on Saturday afternoon.
The Spartans (9-5, 2-3 CCIW) faced an opportunistic Carthage team that scored on 22 of its 28 shots. While UD couldn't match the Lady Reds 78.6% shot percentage, they stayed with them in every other category. UD bested them in ground balls (25-24), matched Carthage in turnovers (17-17), was outshot by six shots (22-28), and cleared the ball in eight out off 11 attempts.
In the game's most important category, goals, Robyn Wittkopf and Alora Esparza paced UD with two a piece while adding two ground balls as well. Breann Tjaarda snagged a game-high seven draw controls and a team-high four ground balls in the effort. The Spartans top scorer, Bridget Schirmers, was held to one shot for the game.
Carthage (10-4, 4-0 CCIW), owners of a five-game winning streak, holds a half-game lead over Augustana (Ill.) for first-place in the CCIW while the Spartans sit all alone in fourth-place. The top-four teams earn their way into the conference tournament after the conclusion of each team's six conference games.
Nearly every Spartan played as 19 players saw action.
The Spartans travel to Rockhurst (Ill.) this Wednesday, April 22, at 7:00 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo. It will be their final non-conference bout before their crucial regular season finale at Illinois Wesleyan next Saturday, April 25, at 2:00 p.m.
