NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Bethany College women's lacrosse team fell to Westminster (Pa.) College by a final score of 19-2 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament First Round at the UPMC Sports Complex.
The 2026 Bethany women's lacrosse season comes to a close in the First Round of the PAC Tournament putting a historic ending to a record-setting season. The Bison's first-ever playoff appearance comes in a season highlighted by a record eight wins which passes the 2022 squad as the greatest team in the program's eight-year history. Bethany (8-9, 4-5 PAC), the PAC's fifth seed, had to face fourth-seeded Westminster (10-7, 6-3 PAC) in a rematch after facing the Titans just one week ago. Westminster got out to a hot start, but the Bison scored two in the second period to cut into the lead before the half. However, the Titans tacked on a few more in the second half to advance to the PAC Tournament Semifinals where they will take on top-seeded Grove City (Pa.) College on Thursday, April 30.Â
Bethany Leaders
- Senior All-PAC defender Emily Wenger (New Cumberland, Pa./Cedar Cliff) added four ground balls to her career total of 222 which is the most by any player in Bethany history while also contributing six draw controls and three caused turnovers
- Junior Academic All-PAC midfielder Tatum Severe (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley) scored her team-best 37th goal of the year with one assist to tie the team lead with 48 points on the year while also recording five ground balls, five draw controls, and one caused turnover
- Senior attack Grace Schweickert (Hiram, Ohio/Crestwood) put the Bison on the board first with a goal and finished with two ground balls, one caused turnover, and one draw control
- Senior defender Janez Matthews (Annapolis, Md.) finished her Bethany career with three draw controls, one forced turnover, and one ground ball
- Senior Academic All-PAC defender Alena Arbogast (Morgantown, W.Va./University) scooped up two ground balls in her last game wearing the Green and White
- Senior Academic All-PAC goalkeeper Madison Wagoner (Morgantown, W.Va./University) made seven saves and graduates tying the all-time wins record with nine victories in the cage
- Senior Academic All-PAC defender Gabby Hicks (Chinchilla, Australia) caused one turnover in her final game as a Bison
- Senior Academic All-PAC midfielder Lexie Reid (Louisville, Ky./Ballard) helped lead the Bison defense in forcing 19 turnovers to close her Bethany career
- Senior midfielder Catharina Recabeitia (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Escuela Normal Superior-Vicente Fatone) notched two ground balls with one caused turnover
- Junior Academic All-PAC midfielder Ally Barclay (Nashport, Ohio/Tri-Valley) was one of six Bison with a multi-ground ball game as she tallied two
- Freshman attack Elaina Felter (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) and freshman attack Hayden Chickerell (Fairmont, W.Va./Fairmont Senior) each notched a ground ball in their PAC Tournament debuts
Westminster Leaders
- Senior attack Julia Ravazza scored four goals with four assists
- Senior defender Isabella Cespedes had a team-high four ground balls and three CTOs
- Junior goalkeeper Falyn Snyder saved nine Bethany shots
First Quarter (Westminster 6-0)
- Wenger and Severe each corralled two ground balls and two draw controls
- Bethany led Westminster in draw controls by a margin of 5-2
Second Quarter (Westminster 10-2)
- 7:40 - Schweickert made Bethany history with the program's first postseason goal off a pass from Severe
- 2:50 - Severe got her own rebound and found the back of the net for another Bison score
Third Quarter (Westminster 14-2)
- Eight different Bison recorded a ground ball
Fourth Quarter (Westminster 19-2)
- Schweickert, Hicks, Barclay, and Recabeitia all forced a Titan turnover for the Green and White defense
- The Bison went 3-for-4 on clear attempts
