BUCKHANNON, W.Va. - The Wheeling Jesuit women's lacrosse team traveled to West Virginia Wesleyan College and defeated the Bobcats, 13-10, to improve to 2-0 in Mountain East Conference play. The Cardinals, who secured their third victory in the last four days, improve to 7-4 overall on the season.
"Our games with West Virginia Wesleyan are always tightly contested, and today was no different," WJU head coach Tim Florence stressed. "We had some opportunities to extend the lead a couple of times, but Wesleyan, true to form, battled back into the game."
Jessie Tufnell, the reigning MEC player of the year, put the Cardinals on the scoreboard first with 27:03 remaining. The Bobcats scored two goals of their own over the next four minutes before Tufnell found teammate Elizabeth Hales for an early game-tying score.
Tufnell found the back of the net for her second time shortly after the Hales score to give WJU a 3-2 advantage, and the Cardinals would never trail again. Paige Plesich scored the third-straight Cardinal goal, and WJU led 4-2 with 13:08 left in the first half.
Tufnell scored once more in the opening half and assisted on a Kori Hickman score that allowed the Cardinals to double up the Bobcats, 6-3. Hickman dished out a last-second assist to Olivia Krock and WJU took a 7-4 lead into the intermission.
Tufnell struck for her fourth goal of the afternoon, off Hickman's third assist, to begin the second half. Hickman added her second score of the game shortly after to give the Cardinals a 9-4 lead.
"In the second half, we got off to a good start, and then there was a three-point swing that really changed the dynamic of the game," Florence added. "Elizabeth (Hales) scored but was called for a dangerous shot, so the goal was called off, and they would go down and score. Then, Wesleyan scored on their next possession. The momentum was in their favor there for a bit."
After the Bobcats fired their two consecutive goals, Tufnell tallied her fifth score of the game to stretch WJU's lead back to four, 10-6. Hales added her second goal of the game to make the lead 11-6, and later added her third and final score of the day with 11:59 remaining.
Markie Wright was found by Hales in front of the net, and was able to give WJU a 13-9 lead. The Cardinals held on to win the contest, 13-10.
Tufnell finished with a game high eight points – five goals and three assists. Hales contributed three scores and two helpers, while Hickman also added five points. Hickman dished out three assists and scored twice.
Krock, Plesich and Wright all scored once for WJU. Plesich added one groundball and an assist to her total, while Krock and Wright each finished with two groundballs. Wright also caused two Bobcat turnovers.
Lyndsay Carpenter secured a team-high three groundballs. Brianna Wahle and Taelor Mailloux each grabbed two groundballs and caused one turnover. Holly Deckert, Kate Calder, and Ally Coggins all finished with a groundball. Maire Austin stopped six Bobcats shots.
"I'm happy to come out with a victory in a game like this. Now we have a day to get ready for Edinboro on Tuesday before getting back into conference play on Friday."
