GRANVILLE, Ohio (February 18, 2023) – The 2023 season opener for the Denison University women's lacrosse team featured a matchup between two top-25 teams in NCAA Division III, but in the end, it was No. 25 Roanoke College that came out on top by a final score of 14-4 over the No. 19-ranked Big Red on Saturday afternoon inside Deeds Field-Piper Stadium. It was the first matchup between Denison (0-1 overall) and Roanoke (1-0) since 2007.

Senior Allaire Kotz scored two goals and added one assist for the Big Red. Her first goal made it 1-1 with just under nine minutes to go in the first quarter before Roanoke scored three straight goals to end the opening period and then went ahead 5-1 just over one minute into the second quarter.

Denison's leading returning goal scorer, junior Josie Lucchesi, then scored on the assist from Kotz to make it 5-2 just over two minutes into the second quarter.

Kotz scored her second goal on the assist by junior Maddie Morrell to make it a 6-3 Denison deficit two minutes into the third quarter, but from there it was a 7-0 run between the third and fourth quarters for the Maroons to put the game out of reach.

Senior Grace Hanson led the Big Red with three groundballs while junior Ashley Viglione and sophomore Mary Daniel both had two. Hanson, Daniel and senior Emma Repke each finished with a pair of caused turnovers as well while junior Merrill Rollhaus led the way with five draw controls.

Next up, the Big Red will play back-to-back road games in the state of Pennsylvania, beginning on Saturday, February 25, at No. 5 Gettysburg College, followed by Sunday, February 26, at Dickinson College. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.