Mount Vernon, IA. Finishing out their five game away stint, the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks women's lacrosse team was on the road Saturday to take on the Cornell College Rams in a non-conference match-up. After a slow start, the Hawks (2-6) struggled to catch up with the Rams (8-1). At halftime of the contest, the Hawks would be within two of the Rams, the closest they would get between the four quarters of action. From beginning to end, it was the Rams who led all the way, as they went on to defeat the Hawks 19-12. 

First Quarter (Cornell 5 - Illinois Tech 1)

• Cornell began the contest with four unanswered goals, taking the lead over the Hawks and never looking back. The opening goal came at 13:21 from Anna Methe. Just over a minute later, India Smith scored off a Meg Lewis assist. At 10:03, the Rams' Cece Zanoni scored off a Lewis assist. Most of the quarter would go by before Smith recorded her second of the game, this time off an Anna Methe assist, giving the Rams their 4-0 lead. 

• Kelly Hitchcock scored her first goal and the Hawks first goal of the game at 2:42 remaining in the first quarter off an Antonia Martinez assist. Martinez, who received the ball from Hitchcock behind the net, passed it back to Hitchcock who was making a run right in front of the goal. Hitchcock scooped the ball up off the ground before firing an overhead shot straight into the back of the net. 

• Before the end of the quarter, the Rams picked up one more goal when Methe found her second of the game, this time off a Brynn Miroslavich assist at the 1:30 mark.

• At the end of the first quarter, the Rams led the Hawks 5-1. 

Second Quarter (Cornell 3 - Illinois Tech 5)

• Continuing where they left off, the Rams picked up another goal to begin the second quarter. Zanoni found the back of the net with a free position goal to give the Rams a 6-1 lead at the 12:50 mark. 

• Then, between 12:26 and 11:39, the Hawks went on a 3-goal goal scoring streak. Iona Pettigrew got the streak started with a free position goal at 12:26 for her first goal of the game. At 11:39, Hitchcock scored her second of the game in a man-up situation. After receiving the ball, Hitchcock took off running towards goal, getting into open space before placing a low shot into the back of the net. Antonia Martinez closed out the Hawks goal scoring streak with a lone goal at 9:57. After receiving a foul, Martinez was a awarded the ball. Taking her defender on 1v1, Martinez forced her way closer to goal. With multiple defenders around her, Martinez was able to get a shot off and find the back of the net, giving the Hawks their third goal of the game. Here, the Hawks trailed the Rams 6-4. 

• The Rams then quickly went back up by three goals with a Sabrina Ibanez goal at 9:17. 

• At 5:46, the Rams once again found the back of the net when Methe scored her third of the game, recording herself a hat-trick. Methe was assisted by Zanoni. 

• During the final five minutes of action before the end of the quarter, the Hawks would score two more goals. In another free position opportunity, Pettigrew would score her second of the game. Hitchcock then recorded herself a hat-trick with a goal off a Faith Busche assist at 2:32 remaining. Getting the ball after it went out of bounds, Busche found an open Hitchcock right in front of the net. Hitchcock received the ball and immediately took a shot, sending the ball right past the Rams goalkeeper and into the net. 

• At halftime, the Rams led the Hawks 8-6.

Third Quarter (Cornell 6 - Illinois Tech 2)

• Coming out of halftime, the Rams got the action going with a goal at 12:43 from Smith, who scored her third of the game for a hat-trick. 

• Martinez quickly responded for the Hawks with her second goal of the game at 11:38. After hitting a spin move on her defender, Martinez was face up to goal and placed her shot into the lower left corner. The goal marked the Hawks 7th goal of the game as they trailed the Rams 9-7. 

• Two goals would then get recorded by the Rams as they once again extended their lead. Methe scored off a Smith assist at 9:42. Some time would pass before Smith scored yet another goal, this time at 6:38. 

• Hitchcock found the back of the net for the fourth time at 5:30. Once again, Hitchcock scored off a Busche assist when Busche found a completely wide-open Hitchcock standing directly in front of the goal. Hitchcock, with just the goalkeeper in front of her, swung the ball into the back of the net for the Hawks 8th goal. 

• Between 3:28 and 1:23, the Rams recorded three more goals before the end of the quarter. Ibanez scored at 3:28 with a free position goal, Zanoni scored at 2:24, and Smith scored at 1:23 off a Zanoni assist. 

• At the end of the third quarter, the Rams led the Hawks 14-8.

Fourth Quarter (Cornell 5 - Illinois Tech 4)

• 40 seconds into the final quarter, the Rams Methe found the back of the net.

• At 13:24, Hitchcock responded for the Hawks with a lone goal. With the ball, Hitchcock took her time finding the right path towards goal. With three defenders crashing in on her, Hitchcock sent her shot into the back of the net. 

• Smith once again scored for the Rams, this time with a lone goal at 10:34. 

• 30 seconds later, Hitchcock would find the net once again. Juking two defenders, Hitchcock found herself heading towards the near post of the goal before placing her shot to the far post and scoring. 

• Quickly, Smith scored for the Rams at 9:41 remaining on the clock off another Zanoni assist.

• One minute later, Hitchcock scored yet again, this time coming off a Martinez assist. With multiple Rams on her, Martinez lifted a pass over them to Hitchcock who quickly fired off a shot towards goal, sending the ball right past the Rams goalkeeper.

• The Hawks final goal of the game then came at the 6:30 mark when Hitchcock scored off a free position opportunity. 

• Two more goals would come from the Rams, one at 6:13 from Ibanez, and one at 4:50 from Smith off a Zanoni assist before the final whistle blew.

• At the end of the game, the Rams defeated the Hawks 19-12. 

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Kelly Hitchcock - 8 goals, 14 shots, 10 shots on goal, 5 ground balls, 3 caused turnovers, 15 draw controls, 1-for-2 in free position shots

• Iona Pettigrew - 2 goals, 2 shots, 2 shots on goal, 1 ground ball, 2-for-2 on free position shots

• Antonia Martinez - 2 goals, 2 assists, 11 shots, 7 shots on goal, 1 ground ball, 1 caused turnover, 4 draw controls

• Faith Busche - 2 assists, 4 shots, 3 shots on goal, 4 ground balls, 1 caused turnover, 3 draw controls

Rams Standouts

• India Smith - 8 goals, 1 assist, 14 shots, 12 shots on goal, 4 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers, 4 draw controls

• Anna Methe - 5 goals, 1 assist, 9 shots, 8 shots on goal, 4 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers, 2 draw controls

• Cece Zanoni - 3 goals, 4 assists, 9 shots, 6 shots on goal, 1 ground ball, 1 draw control, 1-for-1 in free position shots

• Sabrina Ibanez - 3 goals, 3 shots, 3 shots on goal, 3 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers, 1-for-1 in free position shots

• Meg Lewis - 2 assists, 1 shot, 1 shot on goal, 1 ground ball

• Brynn Miroslavich - 1 assist, 1 shot, 2 ground balls, 1 caused turnover

• Hannah Miech - 30 minutes in goal, 7 saves

• Kathryn Andries - 30 minutes in goal, 3 saves

Inside the Box Score

• Cornell led in shots 39-31 over Illinois Tech. The Rams finished with 30 on goal while the Hawks finished with 22.

• The Hawks finished with 11 saves and the Rams finished with 10

• In turnovers, the Hawks committed 24 while the Rams committed 16

• For clears, the Hawks were 14-of-19 and the Rams were 21-of-26

• 15 ground balls were won by the Hawks while 28 were won by the Rams

• The Hawks won 22 of the 35 draw controls

• The Hawks were 3-of-6 in free positions shots while the Rams were 2-of-6 

Up Next

The Hawks make their return to Chicago for three straight home games starting March 30 when they welcome the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Pointers to Stuart Field. The contest marks the Hawks final non-conference contest before they kick off their Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) season. The game is set to begin at 3:30 PM