Box Score Ave Maria, Florida – The top ranked SCAD women's lacrosse team used a balanced attack to defeat ninth-ranked Ave Maria 16-9 Saturday morning AMU Football Field. With the win the Bees improve to 10-1 and a perfect 4-0 against the South Region, while the Gyrenes falls to 5-6 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
Ave Maria struck first as Mackenzie Tourville scored a free position goal. The Bees responded as Shannon Flaherty netted an unassisted goal to tie the game 1-1. Three minutes later Flaherty found Emma Devereaux cutting towards the cage for a goal to give SCAD a 2-1 lead. Ave Maria scored two goals, before Drew Dowgaillo netted an unassisted goal to even the score 3-3. The score remained that way until the 15:05 mark when Flaherty's shot connected with the back of the cage to give SCAD a 4-3 advantage. The two teams traded goals, before Taylor Vaccaro scored back-to-back goals to give the Bees a 7-4 lead with 1:31 remaining in the first half. Devereaux won the draw control and on the ensuing possession Kirsten Carr found Danni Cox for a goal to give SCAD an 8-4 lead at the break.
Both teams traded possessions and were held scoreless for the first nine minutes of the second half. Joanna Ehatt scored an unassisted goal with 20:47 remaining in the second half to extend SCAD's lead to 9-4. Ave Maria scored two goals before Torii Clark connected with Cox for a goal to give the Bees a 10-6 lead with 17:26 left. SCAD added four unanswered goals over the next six minutes to extend their lead to 14-6. The Gyrenes scored three out of the final five goals for the 16-9 final.
Leading the way for the Bees were Flaherty and Cox who each tallied five points. Flaherty netted four goals and dished out one assist, while Cox scored a hat trick to go along with a pair of assists. This is the sixth time this season that Flaherty has scored three or more goals in a game. Dowgaillo, Vaccaro, and Ehatt each scored a pair of goals in the win.
Devereaux picked up a team-high five draw controls and five ground balls in the game. Clark tallied one goal, two assists, and two ground balls. Olivia Stahl caused three turnovers and picked up three ground balls on the back line. Olivia Vieira and Maddie Boucher split time in the cage and combined for five saves.
The win is SCAD's fourth win against a ranked opponent as they have defeated Georgetown, Lawrence Tech, and Point earlier this season.
The Bees will return to action Saturday, April 23, when they travel to Georgetown, Kentucky to play for the South Region tournament championship. SCAD will play the winner of the Georgetown vs. Ave Maria, which will be played on Friday, April 22.
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