Strong defense kept The College of Wooster women's lacrosse team even with No. 9 Denison University early, but a key yellow card and crisp passing by the Big Red's Mk Barnhart turned the tide in the Fighting Scots' 17-9 loss on Wednesday afternoon at John P. Papp Stadium.

Wooster (10-1, 1-1 North Coast Athletic Conference) senior Sidney O'Rourke won the game's opening draw control and classmate Sophia Mellis zipped into the critical scoring area for the game's opening score. A charge by Denison (10-1, 2-0 NCAC) gave Wooster the ball back, and later, sophomore Cassidy Driscoll checked the ball from Bridget Sheehy. However, Wooster turned the ball over in the attacking end, leading to Madison Goldstein tying Wednesday's game at one with 9:07 left in the first.

Mellis again gave Wooster a lead, scoring her second of the day at 8:07. Denison's Finlay Harmon had the equalizer just over 30 seconds later on one of seven Barnhart assists.

O'Rourke tracked down a second draw control of the opening stanza. After Denison regained possession, senior Brynne Snaguski stopped Evy Palmer in transition for a caused turnover. That set up sophomore Rowan Pilon for a score that made Wednesday's game 3-2 Wooster with 4:48 to go in the first.

A yellow card on Wooster with just over a minute in the first led to a Harmon player-up goal that made it 5-3. That was the second Denison goal in a 6-1 Big Red stretch. First-year Kylie MacMillan's drive to the goal opened up space for a goal that pulled Wooster within 9-5 with 1:18 before halftime.

Barnhart had the hot stick, and Denison was winning the draw controls early in the third. Barnhart passed out three helpers in a 59-second span, as Denison opened a 13-6 lead on Wooster.

Hardy, Mellis, and Snaguski scored two goals each. Hardy and O'Rourke teamed up for 10 of Wooster's 14 draw controls. Driscoll caused three of the nine caused turnovers on the day. MacMillan's four groundballs led Wooster's crew. Junior Audrey Richardson stopped nine Denison shots.

Harmon and Mary Martinson scored a co-game-high four goals. Denison's crisp passing saw the Big Red pass out assists on 13 of the 17 goals. Sheehy's seven draw controls led all players. Harmon and Julianne Henigan had four groundballs each for the Big Red. Henigan made a game-high 11 saves.

Denison outshot Wooster 33-26 and had 22 groundballs to the Scots' 10. Draw controls were nearly even, as the Big Red edged the Scots out 15-14.

Next, Wooster hosts John Carroll University (7-3, 2-0 NCAC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11. Prior to warmups, Wooster will celebrate its 10-member senior class, which helped the program to its winningest season and its further advancement in the NCAA Div. III Championship tournament as juniors.