The 2022 Southwestern Women's Lacrosse team now holds the program record for most wins in a single season. The Pirates eclipsed the previous record of eight wins when they defeated the Whitworth University Pirates 21-4 on the Southwestern University campus at Varsity Field. The program's previous eight-win record had been held since 2016. With five more games left in the regular season, head coach Kaitlyn Hafdell has already secured her third consecutive winning season since arriving at Southwestern.
It was a beautiful day to break a record and arguably the best the weather has been at a Pirates Women's lacrosse game all season. At the start of the game, it was 80 degrees, sunny and the Pirates were in a hurry to get their ninth win. Southwestern scored five goals in the first quarter of play and held Whitworth to zero goals. Each of the five goals was scored by a different player, with the Pirates doing a fantastic job spreading the ball around, as they have done all season.
The second quarter was no different than the first, with the Pirates putting up another five goals, except this time via the way of midfielder Deanna Hames. Hames had three of the five Pirates goals in the second quarter, ending the half with four goals total. Attacker Liana Collins also scored multiple goals in the quarter, assisting the Pirates in taking a commanding 10-3 halftime lead.
If anyone thought the Pirates were done scoring in the first half, they were mistaken. In the third quarter, the team outdid themselves, putting up a seven-goal tally and keeping Whitworth to zero goals yet again. Raquel Kurth and Raven Garcia had two goals in the third quarter and Brynne Hardway scored her first goal of the season at the end of the third, making her return from injury fully complete. The third quarter finished 17-3, and the contest was well in hand for Southwestern.
In the final quarter of play, Brooke Folliard scored two goals for her first multi-goal game of the season, with a goal coming from defender Skye George as well. Defensively, Jr. midfielder Emma Pertuit had an incredible day taking the ball away from Whitworth. Pertuit had five caused turnovers and six ground balls. Whitworth simply could not get away from Pertuit without having the ball swiped away. After four goals from Southwestern and only one from Whitworth in the fourth quarter, Southwestern would prove to be the best Pirates team on the field winning with a final score of 21-4.
Women's Lacrosse will be on the road for the next two games, playing the Hanover College Panthers on April 1st at 3:00 PM CST and then the Franklin College Grizzlies on April 2nd at 10:00 AM CST.