BERKELEY – The Cal lacrosse team (3-5) continued its strong play Tuesday with a 16-8 victory over Butler (1-6) in a non-conference contest at California Memorial Stadium. Five Golden Bears recorded multiple goals with Kennedy Goss and Mya Wang leading the way by each picking up a hat trick, while Josie Lillquist, Kate Rothman and Alyssa Studdert registered two goals each. Cal had nine players find the back of the net for the second straight contest with Annette Ciupek, Jane Middleton, Caroline Roxas and Belle Tiesi adding one goal apiece.

Cal assisted on a season-high 10 of its 16 goals with Studdert picking up a team-high three, while Goss had two as both finished with a team-high-tying five points. Lillquist also had a pair of assists, while Ciupek, Rothman and Simone Holland added one apiece.

Callan Fritsch had a big day in goal for the Bears, turning back 12 of 26 shots faced. Fritsch came into the game leading the Pac-12 with a .447 save percentage and improved that number to .496 for the season after Tuesday's game.

Cal held a slim 5-4 advantage at the break with Lillquist scoring both of her goals before intermission, while Goss, Rothman and Wang each tallied once.

The second half started with the teams trading scores with Studdert getting her first of the game before the Bears seized control. Tiesi started the run by connecting on a free position shot with 8:35 remaining in the third. The score would remain 7-5 in favor of Cal for more than six-and-a-half minutes before the Bears scored three goals over the final 3:02 of the third period. Wang scored back-to-back on assists from Studdert and Lillquist before Goss beat the buzzer by scoring with one second left on the clock on a beautiful feed from Rothman.

Cal built its lead to 13-6 by scoring three of the first four goals of the fourth quarter when Rothman, Studdert and Goss connected on assists from Studdert, Lillquist and Holland, respectively.

After a pair of Butler goals got the Bulldogs within 13-8 with just over three minutes remaining, the Bears iced their victory with the game's final three goals from Roxas, Middleton and Ciupek, who also assisted on the Roxas goal. Middleton's goal was unassisted and Ciupek's came on a free position shot.

Cal returns to action Saturday when the Bears visit Oregon (6-1) for the Pac-12 opener for both teams. First draw is scheduled for noon PDT.
 
NOTES

• Cal's back-to-back wins are its first since knocking off UC Davis on the road and Oregon at home on April 15 and 21 of last season
• Cal's last win streak of three games or more was a four-gamer from Feb. 22 – March 8, 2019 (UC Davis, at George Washington, at Mount Saint Mary's, Oregon)
• Cal posted a season-high .867 shots on goal percentage while its .533 shot percentage was its second best of the campaign
• Cal won the draw control battle for the seventh time in eight games by finishing with 15 while Butler posted 12
• Ciupek (2 points, 9 draw controls), Fritsch (4 ground balls), Addie Fischer (1 caused turnover), Goss (5 points), Holland (1 assist), Studdert (3 assists, 5 points, 1 free position goal, 1 free position shot), Ari Tavoso (1 ground ball, 1 caused turnover), Tiesi (1 caused turnover) and Courtney Wong (2 caused turnovers) recorded single-game career highs
• Ciupek (1 assist, 1 shot on goal, 1 free position goal, 1 free position attempt), Holland (1 point), Kalena Johnson (3 ground balls), Lillquist (2 assists, 4 points), Kennedy Mason (1 caused turnover), Middleton (1 goal, 1 point, 1 shot, 1 shot on goal), Rothman (2 goals, 3 points), Roxas (1 goal), Studdert (2 goals, 1 ground ball) and Tiesi (1 free position goal) tied single-game career highs

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