SPOKANE, Wash. – Visiting Willamette used a 4-0 second quarter scoring run to build a lead the Bearcats would not relinquish in a 13-8 win over Whitworth in a Northwest Conference women's lacrosse match on Saturday afternoon in the Pine Bowl.

The Bearcats (9-3 overall, 6-1 NWC) held on to sole possession of second place in the NWC standings, while the Pirates (4-7, 2-5) showed significant improvement from a 17-3 loss to Willamette earlier in the season.

Laura Kelly scored twice to help the visitors take a 4-1 lead in the first quarter.  Whitworth pulled within 4-3 by the end of the period on goals by Rebecca Irwin and Anna Chase. 

The Pirates tied the score 4-4 when Liliann Penfield scored her second goal of the match just over 30 seconds in the second quarter.  Then Whitworth's offense went dry for the next 14 minutes.  Lily Bachiochi broke the tie for Willamette four minutes later and Maddie Garcie made it a 6-4 lead halfway through the second.  Katie Kawamura scored back to back for the Bearcats with four minutes and two minutes left, respectively. 

Garcia scored when the Pirates were two players down due to yellow cards with 12 minutes left in the third.  Whitworth responded when Rebecca Irwin scored a player-down goal just under two minutes later.  Madison Perry got the Bucs to within 10-6, but Bachiochi scored at the buzzer to extend Willamette's lead to 11-6 after three quarters.

The Bearcats scored the first two goals in the final quarter, both within the first five minutes.  Grace Curley and Kenzie Hemman tallied the final two goals for Whitworth.

Irwin led the Pirates with two goals and an assist, while Penfield scored twice.  Madison Perry led Whitworth with four draw controls and now has 102 for her career.

Kelly had four goals for Willamette, while Garcia and Kawamura scored three each.  Bachiochi had three goals and five assists.

Willamette outshot Whitworth 21-18.  Whitworth had a 15-9 edge in draw controls, but the Pirates had 27 turnovers to 23 for the Bearcats.

Whitworth will host Pacific (Ore.) on Sunday looking for a season sweep of the Boxers.