NEWBERG, Ore. — The George Fox women's lacrosse team capped its sixth consecutive undefeated Northwest Conference season with a dominant performance against the Whitworth Pirates, racking up 20 straight goals en route to a 23-5 victory. 
 
How it Happened: 
As they have all season, The Bruins raced out of the gate — with Lyla Roy scoring in the first thirty seconds. Whitworth quickly rebounded with a goal of their own to level the scores before the teams traded goals back and forth after that before the Pirates strung together two back-to-back goals to take the lead. Fox finished the quarter with two goals from their midfield to take a 5-4 lead. Whitworth kept pace with the Bruins early, with both teams ending the period with nine shots and six shots on goal. 

Fox exploded offensively in the second quarter with seven unanswered goals before halftime, extending their lead to 12-4. Five players scored — with Ava Bluhm and Carleigh DeLapp the two Bruins to score two goals in the period — as the Bruins outshot the Pirates 13-5,. Keeper Emma Webb saved all five of Whitworth's shots on goal.

Fox's dominance continued into the second half, kickstarted by two free position shots from Kyra Barnes. The Bruinsvstrung together another eleven goals in a dynamic display of teamwork and ball control, only allowing the Pirates two shots in the entire second half. By the end of the game, eight different Bruin players had found the net, giving Fox the victory, 23-5. 
Top Performances:
Ava Bluhm led the way offensively for the Bruins, scoring six goals off eight shots, and recorded one assist to end with seven points in the game. Olivia Geyling scored four goals, while Marina Tharpe and Carleigh Delapp finished with three apiece. Kyra Barnes led the team with four assists, and Ana Flores ended with three ground balls in a solid defensive effort.

What It Means
Fox finishes the regular season 15-1, with a 12-0 record against conference opponents. The win marks their 74th consecutive conference game victory. Whitworth finishes the year 6-10 on the season (4-8 NWC). 

Up Next 
With the win, the Bruins have earned their seventh straight regular season NWC title. This year, though, a new challenge awaits the team: 2023 marks the first season that the Northwest Conference hosts a women's lacrosse conference tournament. As the top-ranked team in the NWC, Fox will host three other teams. Round one will be a rematch, as the Bruins take on Whitworth on Saturday, April 22. Start time of the first round is scheduled for noon.