The fourteenth-ranked University of Mary Washington women's lacrosse team used a big first half to get past Meredith College, 22-16, on Tuesday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C. The Eagles improve to 3-2 on the season. Senior Morgan Shorts led the Eagles with seven goals on the day.
Meredith got the scoring started as they scored just 30 seconds into the game to take a 1-0 advantage. The Eagles answered with two straight goals, one from Kayla Sarazin and the other from Paige Haskins. The Avenging Angels tied the game up at two a piece with 24:27 left. UMW scored two more in the next four minutes to take a 4-2 lead. Rebecca Pullen scored on an assist from Grace Clarke and then Shorts scored her first of the game. Again Meredith tied the game, this time at four a piece with 17:27 left.
Two straight goals from Haskins, a goal from Shorts, and then a goal from Tess Siburn put UMW up 8-4 with just a little over 11 minutes to play. After the Avenging Angels scored two straight goals, the Eagles closed the half with seven straight to take a commanding 15-6 lead. Shorts scored three of those goals, Haskins added two goals in that run, Siburn scored one, and Samantha Stachowiak put the last one away to give the Eagles their lead.
The Eagles continued their run in the second half as they netted the first three goals of the half. Shorts scored just 50 seconds in, then Sarazin added her second of the day, and Pullen scored her second as well with 24:35 left. Meredith made an attempt to come back in the game as they reeled off five straight to put the score at 18-11 with 14:25 to play.
The Eagles responded and answered with three of their own to extend the lead back to 10, 21-11. Shorts, Haskins, and Pullen all scored in that time. Meredith scored three more goals, but a goal by Clare Madden gave the Eagles a 22-14 advantage with just four minutes remaining. The Avenging Angels added two goals in the last two minutes and the Eagles held on to win 22-16.
Haskins added six goals and five draw controls. Jennifer Bosserman led the Eagles with seven draw controls on the day. Reilly Miller made three saves in goal and Summer Allen made two saves.
The Eagles led in draw controls 23-16, were 8-10 on clears, and caused 11 turnovers.
UMW will be back in action on Saturday as they will host Roger Williams at 1 p.m.