Graduate defender Jordan Johnson, freshman goaltender Elena Oh
and junior defender Mary Carson track the ball as a Stony Brook player passes it off to a
teammate on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at Prentup Field. (Tommy Bittner/CU Independent)
With three minutes and 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter and a player down, freshman phenom Elena Oh stonewalled an attacking Stony Brook University player, essentially icing the game for the University of Colorado Boulder’s women’s lacrosse team on Thursday at Prentup Field.
In a low-scoring and windy affair, the Buffs survived and beat the No. 18 ranked Sea Wolves 7-6, putting CU at 4-4 on the season: an impressive three-game win streak and a second win over a ranked opponent.
The well-rounded play by the Buffs has been key to their success all season, but it was essential in their win against Stony Brook. On the offensive side of the ball, graduate attacker Madeline Pisani netted her 17th career hat trick, while junior midfielder Maddie Shoup came up with two goals and two ground balls.
On the defensive side of the ball, three-time consecutive Big 12 goaltender of the week Oh had eight saves on 14 shots. Two-time defensive Big 12 player of the week Jess Peluso had seven draw controls, putting her at 51 on the season and second in the Big 12 this year.
“Just knowing that my circle players – if I don’t get the first ball – that they’re gonna be on the ground fighting for that ground ball and help me so much by boxing out…I stay composed because in the draw circle I know where everybody is,” Peluso said, shouting out her teammates.
The Buffs certainly still have room for improvement as turnovers, fouls and lack of capitalizing on free-position shots haunt their steps. CU Boulder committed 17 turnovers and fouls during the game, with seven turnovers in the second quarter alone.
Stony Brook’s shift to a more aggressive front-field press and ride gave the Buffs some fits as well, resulting in a bad turnover and goal in the second quarter.
However, after a brutal five consecutive games against ranked opponents, the Buffs seem to have found their groove through the last three games and have shown their ability to bear down in tough situations.
“We came out strong,” head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said. “This is a really good Stony Brook team… they just played great down against Denver. For us to come out and be able to compete for 60 minutes was huge. We stuck together, and we did the little things – I’m really proud of (our team.)”
Watch the next game and all CU Boulder women’s lacrosse games on ESPN+ and follow along live via X and Instagram @CUBuffsWLAX
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Thomas Bittner IV at thomas.bittneriv@colorado.edu
