UMO claims win over Belmont Abbey
MOUNT OLIVE – In a matchup against the top two teams in the Conference Carolinas, the University of Mount Olive women’s lacrosse team hands Belmont Abbey their first conference loss after winning by a 19-14 margin on April 1.
With the win, the Trojans improved to 7-4 overall with a 5-0 mark in league play. UMO extended its winning streak to an impressive 30 straight conference wins. Meanwhile, the Crusaders fell to 7-5 this season with a 4-1 record in conference action.
In the opening minute of the contest, graduate student Ali Davis was first to score, 1-0. Less than a minute later, senior Peyton Youngblood put one past the keeper, 2-0. To level the game, BAC scored back-to-back goals in the span of two-plus minutes, 2-2. After a great defensive effort by the Trojans, graduate student Zoe Dougherty found the back of the cage off a pass from Davis, 3-2. Near the end of the quarter Belmont Abbey was able to score, leveling the match 3-3. In the closing seconds of the first quarter, graduate student Morgan Paige scored while UMO was a man down, 4-3.
In the second, UMO scored with a dime of a pass from graduate student Meagan Maxwell to senior Bria Hamilton, 5-3. Afterward, a goal by the Crusaders was made and the game was within one, 5-4. Scoring her first of the game, sophomore Rileigh White buried one in the back of the net from a pass by Maxwell, 6-4. At the 7:34-mark, BAC scored another goal to trim the deficit to 6-5. Without hesitation, Davis charged toward the cage to gain her second goal of the contest, 7-5. Going into the second half, the Crusaders went on a three-goal run to take the lead, 8-7.
At the start of the second half, Youngblood dodged her defenders to level the match 8-8. In response, the Crusaders scored again, 9-8. With control of the offense, Mount Olive took a four-goal lead, led by goals from Paige and White with two from Davis, 11-9. The Crusaders were able to break the streak by scoring at the 3:20 mark, 12-10. Closing the third quarter, UMO scored two goals, both by Davis, reaching her 41st goal of the season, 14-10.
In the last frame, the Trojans scored two straight goals, from Youngblood and Hamilton, 16-10. At the 13:17 mark of the match, BAC scored, 16-11. With two more goals, by Dougherty and Maxwell, the Trojans led by seven, 18-11. To try and tie the match, the Crusaders were able to score three straight goals with 2:29 left in the match, 18-14. To seal the victory, Davis scored her seventh goal of the game, bringing the final score to 19-14.
Davis completed the game with seven goals, one assist, two ground balls and two draw controls. Dougherty completed the game with a season-high of seven draw controls. Goalkeeper Claire Hagen finished with 10 saves on 24 shots on goal with three ground balls.
— From University of Mount Olive Athletics
