Courtesy of Hamline University
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- The best season in Hamline University lacrosse history came to an end Sunday with a 14-4 loss at Illinois Wesleyan University in the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament. Maya Hernandez scored three times and Brayden Maass added a solo as the Pipers finished with a 19-2 overall, setting a new school standard.
Playing on their home field, the Titans grabbed a 3-0 lead but the Pipers fought back on goals by Hernandez to make things interesting at 3-2. However, IWU, now 18-2 on the season, tallied five more goals before halftime. Hernandez connected twice but HU trailed 8-4 at intermission.
The Titans pulled away in the second half for the win. Molly Dionne, one of six players participating in their last game for HU, had five saves in goal. HU fired 15 shots on goal and 18 for the game. Hernandez and Kalley Elwell led the way with four each.
Dionne, Maddie Brown, Alycia Monserrate Novotny, Lexus Tatge, Jensen Sevening and Dani Perry played key roles in Hamline's rapid rise in the ranks of D-III women's lacrosse and will be missed when the 2020 season rolls around.
The Pipers have a 59-18 overall record in the four years Karen Heggernes has been the team's head coach.