GREENWOOD, S.C. – Fresh off of their first win of the season against Emmanuel College on February 15, Women's Lacrosse (1-1) traveled to Greenwood, South Carolina, to take on the Bearcats from Lander University (1-0). The Gulf South Conference associate member comes into the matchup having defeated fellow South Atlantic Conference member Lincoln Memorial by a score of 11-7 February 11, and with both teams coming into the game with a win, the Wolves looked to be on the right end of today's result before heading into conference play next week.
On a beautiful day in Greenwood, the Wolves and Bearcats kicked off their game to the visitors taking control early on. Newberry took the chances early, but it was the home team able to take the lead first with a score by Kasey Bronco. Less than a minute later, Lander doubled their lead with a goal from Emmy Peterson. At the 6:35 mark, Lander would make it a trifecta of goals with a score from Lauren Fallow, followed by a fourth from Alyssa Suchan to cap off a dominant quarter from the Bearcats.
The second quarter proved to be better for the Wolves in terms of offensive production. Mackenzie Watson (Tampa, Fla.) started the scoring with a free-position goal within 30 seconds of the quarter starting, but the Bearcats answered with Suchan's second goal a minute later. Lander took a five goal lead with Brooke Kelly's free position goal at 12:21, but after five minutes of action and build up on the offensive end, Newberry tacked the second goal on the sheet on a man up goal from Sierra Hummell (Myrtle Beach, S.C.). The Wolves scored a third from Marissa Plumer (Kent Island, Md.), but after one half, Newberry had work to do in the second down 6-3.
Needing a response in the second half to make a comeback bid, Cassell Richardson (Forest, Va.) sparked the response by scoring from the free position 27 seconds into the third quarter. Hanna Bond (Falls Church, Va.) quickly made a statement of her own with the fifth goal for the Wolves to pull things within one, but Emmy Peterson had other plans for the home team, scoring her second goal of the game and the seventh for Lander. The Bearcats used the quarter to create some breathing room on the score sheet, scoring their eighth and ninth goal within the seven and eight minute mark of the quarter, but a goal from Serena Elias (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) cut the deficit to three goals and set up a fourth quarter that promised to be full of action from both teams.
The fourth quarter started slow for both teams, as defense took control for the early part of the period. Lander dealt the first blow in the period with a goal from Alyssa Suchan, her third of the game, at 8:45. Newberry's Jenny Bates (Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada) gave the visitors the quick response needed to stay in the game, scoring a goal at 8:24. Bates would respond with a second goal in as many minutes to cut the lead of the Bearcats to two, but Emmy Peterson of Lander answered the call for her team with a clutch goal from the free position at 6:06. A goal from Brooke Kelly at 3:46 made it 12 for the home team, but Newberry was not going down without a fight. Jenny Bates would secure her hat trick and Ella Todd (Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada) added to her tally within the final two minutes, but it was not enough as the Wolves fell to the Bearcats in a tightly contested matchup, 12-10.
The Wolves will stay in the Palmetto State for their next matchup, with a battle with Limestone University in Gaffney on the horizon. The Saints will host Newberry on February 22, with a 4 PM start time.
