No. 24 CC opened WIAC play with a 14-6 victory over the College of Saint Benedict on Friday afternoon.
The Tigers set the tone early, scoring six goals in the opening quarter and never relinquishing control. CC added one in the second and four more in the third to build an 11-2 lead before closing out the win.
Junior Charlotte Iler, senior Grace Bean, and freshman Sofia Niklaus each scored three goals to lead the Tigers, while freshman Elsa Greene and junior Sofia Mancino added two goals apiece. Greene also dished out two assists, and senior Grace Weber paced the attack with four assists.
After falling behind 2-1 early in the first quarter, CC responded with a five-goal run to close the period, sparked by two goals from junior Charlotte Iler and a goal and assist from freshman Elsa Greene to take a 6-2 lead into the second.
The Tigers continued to build momentum in the third quarter, scoring four goals in a span of just over eight minutes, including back-to-back tallies from freshman Sofia Niklaus off assists from senior Grace Weber to extend the lead to 9-2. CC pushed the advantage to as many as 11-2 late in the third following a goal from senior Grace Bean.
CC's defense held Saint Benedict scoreless for over 30 minutes spanning the second and third quarters, allowing just one shot in the third period while forcing six turnovers in that stretch. The Tigers also capitalized in transition, going 10-for-12 on clears and turning defensive stops into offensive opportunities.
CC's offense was balanced throughout, finishing with eight assists on 14 goals and 37 total shots.
Defensively, Bean led the Tigers with five ground balls, while freshman Maddie Jenks added six ground balls to go along with a team-high six draw controls. Freshman Lydia Desroches recorded three caused turnovers, and Niklaus added three caused turnovers and three draw controls.
In goal, senior Cassidy Schnaufer made four saves while allowing six goals in the win.
The Tigers controlled possession throughout, holding advantages in shots (37-20), ground balls (24-20), and draw controls (14-7), while also clearing efficiently at a 10-for-12 clip.
With the win, CC improves to 5-3 overall and 1-0 in WIAC play. The Tigers take on Hamline next on Saturday, March 28 in St. Paul, Minn.
