GRANVILLE, Ohio — Carthage’s season came to a close Sunday afternoon with a 20-7 loss to No. 6 Denison in the second round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship at Kienzle-Hylbert Stadium.
 
The Firebirds finished the season 16-4 after making the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Carthage also recorded its first NCAA Tournament victory on Saturday with a 14-7 first-round win over Transylvania.
 
Denison, which improved to 19-1, opened the game with two early goals and extended its lead to 4-0 midway through the first quarter. The Big Red added two free-position goals late in the period and carried a 7-0 advantage into the second quarter.
 
Carthage got on the board in the second quarter when Piper LeFevre converted a free-position attempt for the Firebirds’ first goal of the afternoon. LeFevre scored again later in the quarter, but Denison answered before halftime and took a 10-2 lead into the break.
 
Auggie Claridge opened the third-quarter scoring for Carthage with the Firebirds’ third goal of the contest. Denison responded with four goals in the quarter to extend its lead to 14-3 before LeFevre completed her hat trick on another free-position goal, bringing the score to 14-4 entering the fourth quarter.
 
Claridge scored her second goal early in the final period, and LeFevre later added her fourth goal of the game. Kyleigh Higgins also scored in the closing minutes before Denison finished the 20-7 victory.
 
LeFevre led Carthage with four goals, while Claridge added two. Xochitl Delvale-Vera made seven saves in goal and had a team-high five ground balls. Kaitlyn Goff added four ground balls for the Firebirds.