WHEELING, W.Va. - After taking an 8-3 lead late in the first half, the Wheeling Jesuit women's lacrosse team cruised past the visiting Virginia Wise Cavaliers, 17-10, on Friday night.

Senior Jessie Tufnell guided the Cardinals with an impressive 10-point outing. The Flower Mound, Texas native scored six goals and dished out four assists. Junior Elizabeth Hales supplied the Cardinals with a goal and three assists, while also surpassing the 100 career assists mark.

With the victory, WJU moves to 5-0 in the Mountain East Conference, while UVa-Wise falls to 3-1.

Tufnell put the Cardinals ahead, 1-0, with a goal less than 90 seconds into play. Markie Wright scored the next Cardinals goal, giving WJU a 2-1 advantage.

Paige Plesich regained the Cardinals lead, 3-2, with 21:44 on the clock. Kori Hickman assisted on the strike. The Cavaliers would tie the contest at three before WJU scored the next five goals.

Hickman added a trio of goals during the WJU run, while Plesich and Kate Calder scored the remaining two goals. Tufnell scored the Cardinals ninth and final goal of the half, as WJU took a 9-7 lead into the intermission.

Calder added her second goal of the evening to open the second half, giving WJU a 10-7 lead. Tufnell added a pair of goals and WJU took a 12-8 advantage with 20:38 remaining.

Plesich and Hales contributed back-to-back scores before Tufnell added two more goals to give WJU a convincing 16-9 lead. Wright scored WJU's final goal, as the Cardinals outlasted the Cavaliers, 17-10.

Tufnell paced the Cardinals with her six goals and four assists. She also picked up one groundball. Hickman totaled seven points, as she scored two goals and dished out five assists. Hales added two groundballs to her four-point outing.

Wright scored three times, scooped up six groundballs, and caused one turnover.  Plesich finished with three goals and a pair of groundballs, while Calder totaled two scores and four draw controls.

Lyndsay Carpenter secured a team-best six groundballs and caused one turnover. Olivia Krock contributed five groundballs, two caused turnovers, and four draw controls. She also assisted on one score. Reigning MEC defensive player of the week Holly Deckert recorded three groundballs and caused three turnovers. Mary Burns and Brianna Wahle each chipped in a groundball. Goalkeeper Maire Austin saved 10 shots on the day.

The Cardinals host the University of Charleston on Sunday, April 17. Seniors Jessie Tufnell and Kassidy Forsen will be honored.