INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Villanova women's lacrosse closed its 2026 season in dominant fashion on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Butler Bulldogs 18-9 at Varsity Field.
Mary Moore totaled a season-high eight points for Villanova (9-6, 3-3 BIG EAST), scoring a career-best six goals in addition to two assists. Leslie Iorio added four goals, Rose Christie posted five assists and Elena Torres reached 100 career points with three helpers on the day.
Alex Maloney and Quinn McCarren each scored their first career goals while Lauren Redfern added her lone points of the year with a goal and assist.
Emma Verhoest recorded 15 draw controls on the afternoon as both Allie Bell and Makenzie Fisher made multiple stops between the pipes.
Despite a slow start to the game, it ended up being a 4-0 Wildcat lead after the opening quarter. Bella Piselli (two goals, one assist in the contest) opened the scoring at 6:33, then it was Sophia Corretjer (two-score day) and Iorio each adding one before Moore converted on a free-position attempt for a four-goal lead.
The 'Cats started the second with possession and struck immediately as Moore got open on the interior for a five-score advantage. Butler managed the next three, but a quartet of goals for Villanova came in the following two minutes with Iorio, Corretjer and Moore (twice) all beating the keeper. The Bulldogs scored the last two of the half, putting the Wildcats in front 9-5 at the break.
The third featured an onslaught from the visitors, getting scores from Moore, Piselli and Iorio (twice) for an eight-goal edge before Butler called a timeout. Moore found the twine again before two Wildcats (McCarren and Maloney) scored their first career goals to make it a 16-6 game after three.
Butler tallied the first two in the fourth, then it was Redfern scoring her first goal of the year before assisting Maloney on VU's final score of the year in an 18-9 victory.
The win keeps Villanova undefeated all-time against the Bulldogs, moving the 'Cats to a 10-0 record opposite the conference foe.
UP NEXT: Villanova's season comes to an end, bringing to a conclusion a campaign that included nine wins and the biggest victory in program history against No. 2 Stanford.
