GAMBIER, Ohio -- The No. 18 ranked Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens showcased their talent on both sides of the field Saturday and eliminated the No. 21-ranked Kenyon College Owls, 11-3, from the third round of the 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament, held on Kenyon's Field at Benson Bowl.
The Sagehens (21-1) dictated the script from the start, as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first quarter. Although that margin was certainly not insurmountable for Kenyon, the Owls struggled to solve the Pomona-Pitzer defense. Over those first 15 minutes of play, Kenyon managed just three shots and was whistled for three shot clock violations.
Pomona-Pitzer cranked up its speed another notch in the second quarter and got the offense going. With goals from four different players, the Sagehens went into the break with a comfortable 6-0 lead.
Looking to kickstart a second-half comeback, Kenyon came out aggressively to start the second half. After Maddie Garner gathered the opening draw control, Mallory Brophy worked inside to draw a yellow card and earn a free position shot. However, Brophy and the Owls could not convert as first-year goalkeeper Ruby Loesch secured a save.
By the time Kenyon got on the scoreboard, 41 minutes had passed, and the visitors had extended the lead to seven. First-year Lily Mason scored the Owls' opening goal, finding the back of the net after a nice assist from Kate Lengel with 4:13 left in the third period.
Unfortunately, any momentum built by the goal was almost immediately wiped away as the Sagehens won the ensuing draw control and answered 15 seconds later. Pomona-Pitzer maintained its momentum, scoring a man-down goal with 20 seconds left to carry a 9-1 advantage into the final frame.
The Owls came out firing once again with two shots in the first 29 seconds, but the Sagehens' defense stood firm. Pomona-Pitzer's offense capitalized on the stop, scoring on the ensuing possession. Brophy answered quickly with a goal that cut the deficit to 10-2, but Pomona-Pitzer held Kenyon to just two shots over the next nine minutes. Each team scored in the final three minutes, including a free position goal by Julia Losey, and the visiting Sagehens capped their 11-3 victory.
Despite Kenyon earning a 10-7 edge in the draw control circle, Pomona-Pitzer outshot Kenyon 35-17, including a 24-8 advantage in shots on goal. The Owls turned the ball over 21 times compared to 14 Sagehens turnovers, and Kenyon's inability to get shots off or convert free position shots hurt the team's flow.
Even though Kenyon's impressive run came to an end, the Owls have a lot to celebrate after compiling the best season in program history. Kenyon finished its campaign with an 18-2 record, the program's most wins in a season. Additionally, the Owls finished the year with a No. 21 ranking in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association's national Division III poll, and the team was ranked for most of the season after breaking into the national rankings for the first time in program history.
Pomona-Pitzer advances to the quarterfinal round to face Franklin & Marshall College. The Diplomats made it to the quarterfinal after defeating Denison University, 15-6, on Saturday. The quarterfinal contest will start at 2:30 p.m. Sunday and will also be played on Kenyon's Field at Benson Bowl.
