By Ronald Hanaki
Sports Editor
On April 17 and April 18, ESU’s women’s lacrosse team beat Bloomsburg 14-13 and Edinboro 18-8 to notch back-toback home wins against their PSAC rivals. The Warriors now have four wins against PSAC teams on the season.
Co-captain and junior attack Kaitlynn Wiltraut was ecstatic. The math education major said, “Just in general, we’re excited about that. I don’t think we’ve ever done that before – two wins against PSAC opponents in the same week.”
So what accounts for the team’s success? Wiltraut replied, “We are more aware of what we can do. Everybody is more aware of what they can do – myself included.”
Wiltraut continued, “In the past, we have been able to put together one good half against PSAC opponents, but this time, we were able to play well for the entire game.”
The win against then no. 15-ranked Bloomsburg University (BU) was particularly sweet because the Huskies were nationally ranked.
The win over BU marks ESU’s first win against a nationally ranked opponent since 2011.
The Bloomsburg game was very competitive as the two teams battled each other to a standstill. The game was tied 8-8 at intermission.
The second half saw the two teams continue to trade goals. Neither team had more than a 1-goal lead in the second half.
Finally, freshman midfielder Chessie Rahmer scored an unassisted goal with 5:10 left that proved to be the game-winner. Rahmer also led the Warriors in scoring with her first career hat trick.
The win against Edinboro saw the return of the Jedi. In a statement game, co-captain Kaitlynn Wiltraut reasserted herself by putting on a scoring clinic with 7 goals and 1 assist.
What made the difference for the woman in the pink visor? Wiltraut said, “I tend to overthink things because I’m an analytic person. Because I’m a math major.”
Wiltraut continued, “This time, I didn’t think things. I just played lacrosse.”
Junior attack Lauren Nunes continued her amazing season with 2 goals and 2 assists including the 100th goal of her career. ESU led Edinboro 8-5 at the intermission. In the second half, Edinboro would find its groove and tie the game 8-8.
That was a wake up call for ESU as the Warriors would go on to score the next 10 goals and run the Fighting Scots off the field for a rousing 18-8 win.
Sophomore goalkeeper and grant writing maven Emily Fitzsimmons was stout in goal making 9 saves.
On Wednesday afternoon, April 22, ESU’s women’s lacrosse team played Seton Hill on the road and lost 17-9.
In the loss, Wiltraut joined teammate Lauren Nunes in becoming ESU’s 17th member of the 100-goal scoring club.
Freshman midfielder Chessie Rahmer continued her stellar rookie season by scoring an unassisted goal early in the second half to give her 20 goals on the season.
The Warriors (8-7, 4-7) will close their season against West Chester at home on Saturday, April 25.
Email Ronald at:
rhanaki@live.esu.edu