The Elon University women’s lacrosse team continued its unbeaten streak in Atlantic Sun Conference play with a 19-7 win over Howard University April 19 in Greene Stadium.
The Phoenix is now 3-0 in the A-Sun and improves to a 7-7 record overall. Elon officially secured a spot in the A-Sun Women’s Lacrosse Tournament as one of the top four teams in the conference.
Elon took the advantage at the draw, 15-14, and in shots, 37-22. The Phoenix set a new team-high in goals, scoring 19 from nine different players on the attack. On defense, the Phoenix picked up 18 ground balls and finished 13-of-15 in clear attempts.
Leading the attack were Olivia Fernandez and Anna Vitton who each netted four goals. Sydney Hesselbein, Emily Bishop, Molly Garrigan, and Megan Griffin all finished two goals for the Phoenix. Also adding to Elon attack were Sloane Kessler, Megan Weissman and Kelli Stack who each netted one goal.
On the defensive side, Goalie Rachel Ramirez tallied six saves off of 13 shots on goal by the Bison attack. Griffin also played a huge role in the back causing three turnovers and picking up four ground balls.
The Phoenix opened the match with a quick goal form Garrigan at 28:34, but Howard fired back just two minutes later to tie it up. Then with the game tied at two, Fernandez put the Phoenix up 4-2 with two back-to-back goals with 16:59 left in the first half. The Bison fought back to put the game within on, but goals by Hesselbein, Vitton and Bishop in the final 10 minutes of the half put the Phoenix up 7-3 headed into the half.
The attack for the Phoenix started the second half strong by scoring six straight goals in the first five minutes of play, to continue its nine-goal run over the Bison. Weissman and Vitton set it off each with an unassisted goal followed by a Hesselbein who finished a free-position shot. Then Fernandez, Garrigan and Kessler added to the scoring streak with three quick goals that gave the Phoenix a 10-goal advantage and put it up 13-3.
The Bison tried to rally back, netting two goals, but Elon shut it down and extended the lead even further with five unanswered goals. Bishop and Griffin each netted one goal, Vitton scored two and Fernandez put one past Bison goalie Jasmine Wilson on a free-position goal, giving the Phoenix a 18-5 lead with 10 minutes to play.
Howard’s attack finished two more goals before Stack closed out the game with the final goal with two minutes remaining to give the Phoenix a 18-7 win over the Bison.
The Phoenix will finish the regular season next weekend in Florida where the team will face Stetson University and Jacksonville University. Elon is set to play the Hatters at 4 p.m. Friday, April 25 and the Dolphins at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 27.