HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Making a statement.
The third-seeded Flagler College women's lacrosse team knocked second-seeded Lee University out of the Gulf South Conference Women's Lacrosse Championship, 15-9, at Charger Park Friday afternoon.
In the squad's debut inaugural season, it will advance to the finals to take on the winner of the top-seeded University of Alabama in Huntsville and fourth-seeded Lander University contest, which proceeded this game. On Sunday, the championship game will take place at Charger Park at 12 p.m. (CT)/1 p.m. (ET).
The Saints took control starting at the first draw control of the second quarter, outscoring the Flames 5-1 after a competitive first 15 minutes. The teams traded goals to open the period; however, head coach
Grant Kelam got four answered goals as two came off the stick of
Kaitlyn Bush, who had a hat trick in the first 30 minutes,
Kate Piscopo and
Madison Daziel each to send the Saints into the break with an 8-3 lead. At this point,
Lauren Ribadeneira had made nine saves, including saving a Brittany White free position shot with five seconds left in the half.
The big second quarter would prove to have created too much separation for Lee to overcome. Any goal Lee would score would be answered by Flagler to prevent the team from building any momentum. Bush finished with a season-high six points on five goals, another season high, and an assist. Piscopo and
Katelyn Trainor each contributed hat tricks of their own. These were both their second consecutive hat tricks and third overall.
Lee committed 15 turnovers this afternoon, with 11 of those being directly attributed to the Saints' defensive pressure. Four Saints caused multiple turnovers. Bush and Trainor made their presence felt defensively, as well, with two apiece as
Amanda Fernandez and
Carly LaFerriere also recorded a pair. Fernandez also scooped up five ground balls and draw controls.
By the end, Ribadeneira had recorded a season-high 22 saves, the most saves by any GSC goalie in a single game all year. The nine goals she held the Flames' potent offense is the lowest goal total in a GSC game this year.
When these two teams met in the regular season, Lee came out on top by the same score as today with White and Dariana Blanton providing nine of those goals for Lee. Today, White was kept out of the goal column for just the fourth time all year and Blanton recorded a hat trick.
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