BUCKHANNON – The Thiel College women’s lacrosse team put on a dominant display on the road Saturday afternoon with a 20-9 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan. The Tomcats were led by an extraordinary 14-goal performance from Ashlyn Wightman, who single-handedly outscored the LadyBobcats.
Wightman was simply unstoppable, netting 14 goals on 20 shots, including a perfect 7-for-7 on free-position attempts. The senior midfielder also contributed an assist, recorded three caused turnovers, and won six draw controls, asserting her dominance in every aspect of the game.
She wasted no time making her mark, scoring four of Thiel’s five first-quarter goals, including two while the team was a player up. By halftime, she had already found the back of the net six times, giving the Tomcats a 10-6 lead heading into the break.
The third quarter proved to be the turning point, as Thiel outscored Wesleyan 8-1, effectively putting the game out of reach. Wightman continued her scoring onslaught.
With a commanding 18-7 lead entering the final frame, the Tomcats cruised through the fourth quarter, adding two more insurance goals to secure the lopsided victory.
Defensively, Thiel applied relentless pressure, forcing 21 turnovers, with Skylar Garlick and Stilinovich leading the charge with multiple caused turnovers.
For the Lady Bobcats, Nyah Elmer was a bright spot, scoring five goals on nine shots, but she struggled on free-position opportunities, converting just one of four attempts. Francesca Sloan (two goals, one assist) and Emma Adcock (one goal) also contributed to Wesleyan’s offensive output.
However, the Bobcats’ turnover woes (21 total) and inability to control the draw (losing 17-14 in draw controls) ultimately doomed their chances.
In net, Madison Liggett was solid for Thiel, recording nine saves on 18 shots faced, helping her team maintain their lead despite Wesleyan’s early efforts to stay in the game. On the other end, Ella Gomez and Tatiyana Blacknall combined for 11 saves, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Thiel’s 38 total shots.
The Lady Bobcats return to action Monday evening at Cebe Ross Field when they take on Young Harris College at 4 p.m.
