SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – After scoring three goals in a four-minute stretch to take a 4-1 lead midway through the first half, the Wheeling Jesuit women's lacrosse team held off the Mountain East Conference preseason favorite Shepherd Rams, 11-10, Sunday afternoon.
The Cardinals, who were picked second in the MEC preseason poll, improve to 9-5 overall and continue to hold sole possession of first place in the conference (4-0). Shepherd falls to 2-1 in MEC play.
"It was a great team win today. It's always good to get a conference win but beating a team like Shepherd is huge for our team," head coach Tim Florence stressed. "We played well on both ends of the field and the girls made critical in-game adjustments to stay ahead of Shepherd. One of our goals for the season was to beat a team that we have not beaten before, so that makes this victory even sweeter."
Olivia Krock put the Cardinals on the board first before Shepherd tied the contest a minute after. The next three scores went to the Cardinals, two of which were a man down.
Holly Deckert scored the first of WJU's man-down goals, before Krock added her second goal of the afternoon. Jessie Tufnell capped the 3-0 run with a successful man-down strike with 12:45 remaining in the first half, giving WJU its 4-1 lead.
The three-goal runs would continue, but this time for the Rams. Shepherd added the next three scores, tying the contest at four apiece. The Cardinals were able to respond, however, with three more scores of their own.
Tufnell added a pair of goals, her second and third of the day, before Elizabeth Hales added to her MEC-best goal total with 4:20 left in the first half. The Cardinals would lead, 7-4, heading into the half.
Tufnell scored another goal less than a minute into the second half to give WJU an 8-4 lead. Hales added two more scores, at 21:58 and 14:19, as WJU maintained its advantage. Tufnell finished the Cardinals scoring, as Mary Burns assisted on what would be the game-winning goal, as WJU led 11-8 with seven minutes remaining. WJU held on to defeat Shepherd, 11-10.
Tufnell finished with five scores, a groundball, a caused turnover, and one draw control. Hales added her three goals while Krock supplied WJU with two goals and three draw controls. Deckert rounded out the Cardinals scoring with her lone goal. She also secured a season-best seven groundballs and caused five turnovers.
Kori Hickman dished out two assists and won one draw control. Mary Burns and Taylor Booth each handed out one assist. Markie Wright and Lyndsay Carpenter both picked up three groundballs, while Carpenter also caused three turnovers. Brianna Wahle added two groundballs and a forced a pair of turnovers.
WJU returns to action on Friday, April 15 when it hosts The University of Virginia's College at Wise at 6 p.m.
