The women's lacrosse team had a must-win scenario when Shorter University visited the SCAD Sports Complex today.  Back on 2/16, in the second match of the 2013 season, the Bees were beaten by the Hawks in Rome, Georgia in double overtime by a score of 10-11.  Because Shorter is in the South Region of the NWLL along with SCAD, the Bees had to win this game to be the host for the Regional Championship that takes place next Friday.
 
The Bees did not disappoint the crowd of 130, or it should be said the majority of the crowd.  Shorter University had about 50 of their own fans in attendance for this important match.  It was Senior Night for SCAD's Britney Lukowski, Alexis Spaide, Sophie Spivack, and Chelsea Stambouly, as they played their last regular season match of their collegiate careers so emotions were running high.
 
Kayla Nelson got SCAD off to a good start when she scored the first goal of the game at the 26:04 mark, but the Hawks' Shelby Beverly tied the match with a goal 22 seconds later.  Everyone knew that this was going to be a fierce competition.  It was not until Charlotte Cutts scored 3 straight goals to make the score 4-2 SCAD that the Bees had any breathing room.
 
But the Hawks would not lie down.  At intermission the Bees had managed to gain a 3-goal advantage at 8-5.  It was not long into the second half that Shorter cut the lead back to 1 when they scored the first two goals of the half.  At the 11:10 mark in the match the score was tied at 11 apiece.  And that is when Nelson went to work for the Lady Bees.  The Bees outscored the Hawks 5-1 with Nelson scoring 3 of those final 5 SCAD goals.  Nelson ended up the day scoring a total of 6 goals.  Cutts was no less terrific as she garnered 4 goals and had 4 assists to go with them.  And SCAD got its most important win of the season by a final score of 16-12.
 
Other stars of the game were Jordan Cook (2 goals, 3 assists), Charlotte Walters (2 goals, 1 assist), senior Alexis Spaide (3 assists), senior Lukowski (12 draw controls), and goalie Jennifer Danko (5 saves).
 
The South Regional Championship tournament will now take place at the SCAD Sports Complex at 3pm on Friday, April 12.  SCAD and Shorter will square off for the third time this season to determine the South Regional Tournament Champion.

Congratulations to Coach Nichole Hannon and the Women's Lacrosse team for finishing a great 2013 season at 10-3 and for their securing a trip to the National NWLL Championships to be played in Lindenvood-Belleville, IL on April 18-20.  Way to go Bees!