GRANVILLE, Ohio (April 8, 2023) – The first North Coast Athletic Conference game of the 2023 season for the Denison University women's lacrosse team was also Senior Day for the Big Red, who were able to start off conference play on a high note with a 17-1 win over Wittenberg University on Saturday at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium.

It was Senior Day for No. 4 Jane Bailey, No. 16 Emma Repke, No. 17 Grace Hanson, No. 18 Annie Rau, No. 19 Abby Van Metre, No. 21 Ryann Yospa, No. 30 Allaire Kotz and No. 36 Caroline O'Dea, who were each recognized prior to the game and each earned the start on the field as well.

The Big Red raced to a 5-0 lead as Josie Lucchesi and Bailey scored just 16 seconds apart just over three minutes in before Maddie Morrell scored Denison's first of three free position goals in the first quarter. Lucchesi scored her second goal of the opening period and Jane Lukens followed with a goal 39 seconds later to make it 5-0 in the first eight minutes.

After Morrell scored again to make it 7-1 early in the second quarter, Wittenberg kept its deficit at six goals until a pair of goals just 32 seconds apart by Lucchesi and Grayson O'Marra halfway through the second quarter.

In the final two minutes of the second quarter, Ashley Viglione and Merrill Rollhaus scored just 40 seconds apart to make it a 10-goal game (11-1) at halftime.

Lukens (1 goal, 3 assists) finished with four points to lead the way while Lucchesi (3 goals), Morrell (2 goals, 1 assist), Viglione (2 goals, 1 assist) and Kotz (1 goal, 2 assists) all recorded three points.

In addition, freshman Madison Goldstein scored her first-career goal with 9:34 left in the fourth quarter before fellow-freshman Ellie Muldoon did the same in the final minute.

Rau led the Big Red with three groundballs while Yospa led with three caused turnovers.

After both teams entered the day with a record of 2-8, it was Denison who improved to 3-8 overall and 1-0 in the NCAC while Wittenberg dropped to 2-9 and 0-1. It was also the 10th straight win for the Big Red against the Tigers, with each of the last six meetings between the two teams being decided by 16 or more goals.

Next up, Denison will head to the College of Wooster on Wednesday, April 11, as the Big Red and the Fighting Scots square off starting at 7 p.m. at Triway High School. Wooster sports a current record of 9-1 overall and will be opening up its conference slate against the Big Red.

 
Senior Day Recap:

Jane Bailey has started 37 of 46 games in her career, including starting in eight of her 10 games so far as a senior. She has scored 53 goals and collected 55 assists throughout her four years, including career-highs of 29 goals and 25 assists as a junior. A 2023 Preseason Honorable Mention All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine, Bailey was named First-Team All-NCAC and First-Team All-Region in 2022, and in 2021, she was named to the All-NCAC West team. She was also a 2021-22 Denison Chi Alpha Sigma inductee and was member of the NCAC Academic Honor Roll in 2020-21.

Grace Hanson has started in 33 of 47 games in her career, including starting every game the last two seasons. She has recorded 35 groundballs and 21 caused turnovers throughout her four years and posted a career-high of 17 groundballs and 13 caused turnovers as a junior. A 2021-22 Denison Chi Alpha Sigma Inductee, Hanson was a member of the 2022 IWLCA Academic Honor Roll and has been named to the NCAC Academic Honor Roll in both 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Allaire Kotz has started in 18 of 37 games in her career, including starting all 11 games this season as a senior. She has scored 40 goals and collected 30 assists throughout her four years, including a career-high with 17 goals and 11 assists so far this season.

Caroline O'Dea has started 28 of 41 games in her career, including starting in all 11 games in goal this season. She has recorded 228 saves and 63 groundballs throughout her career, including career-highs of 95 saves and 26 groundballs so far this season, and has 14 career wins. She is a two-time member of the NCAC All-Tournament Team and was named the 2021 NCAC Tournament Most Valuable Player.

Annie Rau has started in 29 of 46 games in her career, including starting all 11 games as a senior. She has collected 67 groundballs and 45 caused turnovers throughout her four years. A two-time member of the NCAC Academic Honor Roll and three-time Denison Top-50 Scholar-Athlete, Rau was also named a 2021-22 Denison Chi Alpha Sigma Inductee, was a member of the 2022 IWLCA Academic Honor Roll, and was a 2022 Honorable Mention All-NCAC player after finishing second on the Big Red with 28 groundballs and third with 24 caused turnovers.

Emma Repke has started 15 of 42 games in her career, including starting all 11 games as a senior. She has totaled 26 goals, 19 groundballs, 12 caused turnovers and nine assists throughout her four years. She scored a career high four goals in an 18-6 win against Allegheny in 2021 and finished that season with a career-high 11 goals. Repke will be inducted into Denison's Chi Alpha Sigma class next week.

Abby Van Metre has started 30 of 48 games in her career, including starting every game the last two seasons. She has gained 101 draw controls, collected 31 groundballs, scored 12 goals and dished 11 assists throughout her four years. In 2022, she finished with a career-high six goals, seven assists, 14 groundballs, 10 caused turnovers and 68 draw controls. She is a two-time member of the NCAC Academic Honor Roll as well as a 2021-22 Denison Chi Alpha Sigma Inductee and a 2022 IWLCA Academic Honor Roll recipient.

Ryann Yospa has started 14 of 43 games in her career while recording 33 goals, 21 assists, 27 groundballs, 25 draw controls and 20 caused turnovers throughout her four years. She recorded career-highs with 18 goals, 16 groundballs, seven caused turnovers and 18 draw controls in the 2021 season. A two-time member of the NCAC Academic Honor Roll and Denison Top-50 Scholar-Athlete, Ryann was also named a 2021-22 Denison Chi Alpha Sigma Inductee and was a member of the 2022 IWLCA Academic Honor Roll.

The Denison women's lacrosse team also recognized one of their graduating student managers, Charlotte Mattimoe. Charlotte is from Granville, Ohio, and is a biology major. Throughout her time at Denison, Charlotte has been a dedicated member of the Denison women's lacrosse family. From her perch in "Charlotte's booth", she has helped revolutionize how the Big Red run practice. Her support and commitment to the entire team is remarkable and Denison cannot thank her enough for everything she has done for the program.