Chicago, Ill.— On an evening in which the weather finally warmed, and with the team honoring their Class of 2026 seniors before the match, Illinois Tech women's lacrosse secured a decisive 13–7 victory over Beloit College Tuesday night at Stuart Field. The hosts took an early lead with five goals in the first quarter and, despite Beloit cutting the Hawks lead to 4 goals in the fourth quarter, the Hawks were able to regain control and put away an inspired Buccaneers squad. Senior Antonia Martinez finished with 7 points on 4 goals and 3 assists. Sophomore attacker Anastasiia Nahirna scored her first two goals of her career.

Illinois Tech now has a record of 4-11, 2-5 in conference play. Beloit holds a record of 0-12, 0-7 in its conference.

Prior to the match, the team honored their departing seniors in Martinez, Iona Pettigrew and Nayeli Samano.

How It Happened

Illinois Tech took control early in the first quarter against Beloit, with Kelly Hitchcock opening the scoring at 13:59 on an assist from Ava Roll. Hitchcock's draw control dominance set the tone, leading to multiple scoring opportunities. Antonia Martinez added to the lead with a goal at 7:40 and found the net again at 2:58 and 2:28, the latter assisted by Hitchcock. Jenny Park capped the quarter with a goal at 1:55, giving Illinois Tech a 5–0 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Buccaneers' efforts were thwarted by caused turnovers and effective defensive plays by the Scarlet Hawks.

Beloit opened the second quarter with a goal by Julia Fussy at 14:06, narrowing the scoreline. Illinois Tech responded with Ellie Post scoring twice, including a free position goal at 9:13, to take control of the quarter. Kelly Hitchcock added another goal with 1:03 remaining, assisted by Antonia Martinez, despite being a player down. Illinois Tech's defense remained strong, with crucial saves from Samantha Gargiulo, helping maintain an 8–1 lead at the end of the quarter.

The third quarter saw Illinois Tech maintain its lead despite Beloit's persistent efforts. Natasha Ludwig scored a free position goal for Beloit at 12:55, narrowing the gap. Illinois Tech responded with a goal by Anastasiia Nahirna assisted by Antonia Martinez at 7:04. However, Willow Mashkuri found the net twice for Beloit, including a player-up goal at 2:29. Despite Beloit's increased scoring, Illinois Tech held a 9–4 lead as the quarter concluded.

In the final quarter, the Scarlet Hawks pulled ahead decisively with a series of critical goals. Antonia Martinez scored a player-up goal at 10:51, assisted by Kelly Hitchcock, who dominated the draw control throughout the quarter. Ava Roll added another player-up goal at 9:14, with Eliza Baron providing the assist. Illinois Tech continued its scoring run with goals from Eliza Baron and Anastasiia Nahirna, extending the lead to 13–5. Despite a late effort from Beloit's Natasha Ludwig and Willow Mashkuri, Illinois Tech maintained control and secured a 13–7 victory.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

Antonia Martinez
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- 4 goals
- 3 assists
- 5 shots on goal

Kelly Hitchcock
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- 2 goals
- 2 assists
- 6 shots on goal

Anastasiia Nahirna
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- 2 goals
- 2 shots on goal

Ava Roll
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- 1 goal
- 2 assists

Ellie Post
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- 2 goals
- 3 shots on goal

Eliza Baron
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- 1 goal
- 1 assist
- 2 shots on goal

Jenny Park
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- 1 goal

Samantha Gargiulo
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- 6 saves
- win


Beloit Top Performers

Willow Mashkuri
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- 3 goals
- 1 assist
- 5 shots on goal

Natasha Ludwig
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- 2 goals
- 6 shots
- 2 free position goals

Kim Pilon
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- 15 saves
- Faced 31 shots

Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech improved to 6-5 overall against the Buccaneers.
- Team - Achieved a season-high 13 goals in the game.
- Anastasiia Nahirna - Achieved her first 2 goals of her career.
- Ellie Post - Scored a season-high of 2 goals and collected 4 ground balls, 3 above her season average.
- Kelly Hitchcock achieved 300 career draw controls with her 7 draw control wins in the first half.
- Beloit achieved a season-high 7 goals in the game.

Up Next
Looking ahead, Illinois Tech will face Lawrence University on Saturday, April 18. The contest is set for 1 p.m. at Lawrence's home venue in Appleton, Wisconsin.