WINGATE, N.C. - The 2016 Spring Trip for the Wheeling Jesuit women's lacrosse team has come to a close, but a promising season is just getting underway.

WJU completed its trip undefeated as they topped Wingate University, 18-10, on Sunday and improved to 4-0 on the season.

"I am happy for the girls that have been here awhile and have worked their tails off to be in a position of 4-0. We still have to keep working and not get complacent, there's a lot more lacrosse to play," WJU head coach Tim Florence stressed.

The Cardinals struck for the first two goals. Jessie Tufnell scored less than a minute into play, and then assisted Elizabeth Hales three minutes later.

Wingate tied the match at three apiece before WJU took a 5-3 advantage with 13:08 remaining.

Kori Hickman received a pass from Hales for WJU's fourth goal and Tufnell finished off the fifth score.

The Bulldogs answered for the next score, but then the Cardinals run began.

WJU put four unanswered scores on the board and led, 9-4. Tufnell, Hales, Ally Coggins, and Paige Plesich were responsible for the scores during the run.

Mary Burns scored just before half, and WJU would lead 10-5 at the intermission.

"Both teams started the game out feeling each other out offensively and defensively. We hit a little run which broke the game open, and we ended up with a 10-5 halftime lead," Florence remarked.

Wingate was called for a penalty and Hales finished a goal on the man-up attack for WJU. Burns scored shortly after and the Cardinals lead grew to seven, 12-5.

Hales and Tufnell struck for two consecutive goals once again, at 19:37 and 14:20, and WJU's lead was back to seven, 15-8.

WJU scored three of the last four goals, two from Hales and one from Markie Wright, and won the contest 18-10.

"The team played well at both ends and it's nice to see the group play with a collective confidence," Florence added. "We alternated some different personnel to take the draw and then our girls on the circle did a nice job controlling the loose balls. We have come together well as a team over this spring break, which is great to see."

Hales guided the Cardinals attack with six scores and five assists. Tufnell chipped in four scores and four assists, good for second on the team in both categories. The two combined for 10 of the 18 WJU scores and nine of the 13 assists.

Plesich, Wright and Burns all scored twice. Wright handed out one assist and secured a team-high three groundballs, and caused a game-high two turnovers. Hickman and Coggins took ownership for the final two WJU goals.

Maire Austin recorded seven saves and grabbed three groundballs. Holly Deckert picked up two groundballs, while six Cardinals each had one groundball.