GAMBIER, Ohio -- The Kenyon College women's lacrosse team's stellar season is set to continue this weekend when the Owls host three 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament games on The Field at Benson Bowl. 

The action gets underway at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, when Franklin & Marshall College takes on Denison University in the first of two back-to-back Sweet 16 matchups. The hosting Owls are on deck at 4 p.m. when Kenyon plays Pomona-Pitzer. Third-round winners will face off in the NCAC Tournament quarterfinals as the Elite Eight matchup begins at 2:30 p.m.

Ticket prices for all games are set at $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and students, and $3 for children. All ticket sales will be at the gate and are cash only. Any Kenyon student with a valid student ID will be admitted free of charge.

Kenyon enters the Sweet 16 with an 18-1 record and a rank of No. 21 in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association's (IWLCA) national Division III poll. The team has set program records for consecutive wins (17) and wins in a season (18), and the Owls played their way into the third round of the NCAA Tournament by downing DePauw University 18-9 on May 14. Kenyon's lone loss came in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament Championship when the hosting Owls fell to Denison in the NCAC finale. To gain entry into the NCAA Tournament, Kenyon was awarded one of 13 at-large bids in the field of 46 teams, and the Owls also earned a first-round bye.

Nationally, the Owls offense is tied for 13th with an average of 16.32 goals per game, while their defense ranks 15th with an average of 7.16 goals allowed per game. The strong play on both ends of the field combines for a plus-9.16 scoring margin, the 10th-best mark at the NCAA Division III level. Kenyon makes the most of its free position shots and is among the best teams at earning and converting free position looks. The Owls have scored the seventh-most free position goals (68), and their .586 percentage on free position shots ranks fifth in the nation.

Caroline O'Neil leads Kenyon's attack with 80 points on 60 goals and 20 assists. Fellow senior Tatumn Eccleston is one of the country's best facilitators, as her 2.53 assists per game tie for 24th in the country. Kate Lengel's 38 goals rank second on the team, followed by Lily Mason (36) and Mallory Brophy (31). 

Defensively, Nola Garand gears up in goal for the Owls. The sophomore's 8.03 goals-against average ranks 23rd in the NCAA, and she has racked up 98 saves with a .478 save percentage. Maren Helmacy leads the team with 16 caused turnovers, while Brophy ranks second in both caused turnovers (14) and ground balls (33). Emma Hutchison is third in each category with 13 caused turnovers and 32 ground balls. In the center circle, Julia Losey leads the team with 83 draw controls, followed by Mason's 52.

Pomona-Pitzer enters the contest with a 20-1 record and the No. 18 spot in the IWLCA national poll. The Sagehens, winners of 14 straight, boast the best offense in the NCAA with 19.43 goals per game. Their defense is nearly on par, ranking third nationally at 6.05 goals allowed per game.

Offensively, the Sagehens boast a three-headed attack of sophomores scoring 81-plus points. Sydney Landauer leads the way with 117 points on 65 goals and 52 assists. Shoshi Henderson has dished out 75 assists with 20 goals for 95 points, while Fiona Lewis leads the team with 68 goals, tallying 81 points with 13 assists. In goal, Ruby Loesch leads the team with 11 wins and starts, allowing 7.15 goals per game and saving 69 shots with a .429 save percentage.

The Owls and Sagehens have only matched up once, and the duel came three years ago when Kenyon went to Claremont, California, to face Pomona-Pitzer in a nonconference bout. The home team came away with a 15-4 victory, and seniors in this year's matchup will be facing off once again.

The winner of the second Sweet 16 contest will take on either Franklin & Marshall or Denison in the Elite Eight on Sunday. 

Franklin & Marshall, the No. 8-ranked team in the IWLCA poll, is 16-4, with all four losses coming against top-10 teams. The Diplomats, riding a six-game winning streak, average 14.65 goals per game while allowing 9.40. Four players have scored between 53 and 66 points, and Lydia Cassily paces the team with 66 thanks to 48 goals and 18 assists. Goalkeeper Alyssa Moran allows 10.28 goals per game and has 118 saves with a .408 save percentage. The Diplomats downed Kenyon 16-3 in the lone matchup between the schools, which came in 1997.

Denison, which is unranked but receiving votes in national polls, returns to Kenyon for the second time in two weeks. The Big Red have won four straight to improve to 11-10, with six losses against nationally-ranked teams. Denison averages 12.04 goals per game and allows 11.09. Allaire Kotz and Josie Lucchesi have each eclipsed 57 points, with Kotz compiling 58 on 38 goals and 20 assists and Lucchesi scoring 57 with a team-high 42 goals to go along with 15 assists. In goal, Caroline O'Dea owns an 11.46 goals-against average and a .461 save percentage with 184 saves.

The team that advances past this weekend will head to the NCAA Tournament semifinal, which will be played in Salem, Virginia, on May 26. The Championship is scheduled for May 28, also in Salem.