Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Wilmington Wildcats on Monday evening in a 17-6 final.
 
The Warriors had 21 shots and 13 shots on goal in the loss to the Wildcats.  Tabitha Beecher led the team with eight shots with Haylee Cureton following with six.  Both Beecher and Cureton had four shots on goal.  Cureton led the team with three goals.  Beecher followed with two goals.  Jocelyn Cosgrove had two of the three assists of the evening.  Kaeleigh McDaniel recorded seven saves over the sixty minutes she played in goal.
 
 
 
 
Game Finals
 
Final: Wilmington 17, Southern Wesleyan 6
 
Records: Southern Wesleyan (1-5) Wilmington (1-1)
 
 
 
 
How It Happened
 
Wilmington took the first goal of the game as Lauren Gresham took a pass from Amelie Gamache and put it into the cage.  The Wildcats continued to attack the cage, but Kaeleigh McDaniel and the Warriors defense kept the game close.  The Wildcats continued to push ahead as goals by Maddie Day allowed them to take a 4-0 goal lead.  The Warriors would not go down quietly as Tabitha Beecher scored with just under three minutes left.  They cut Wilmington's lead in half on a goal by Haylee Cureton.
 
The Wildcats continued to attack the cage, but Kaeleigh McDaniel and the Warriors' defense saved the ball to prevent them from extend their lead further.  However, their attacks paid off as Lauren Gresham and Taylor Lambeth scored to give the Wildcats a four goal lead.  The Warriors will not discouraged as Tabitha Beecher scored her second goal of the afternoon to put them within four.  They maintained their attacks as Haylee Cureton scored.  However, Wilmington continued to push ahead to lead 10-4 at halftime.
 
Wilmington continued to push ahead in the third quarter as Campbell Heller scored the Wildcats' eleventh goal of the evening.  Southern Wesleyan came to within seven of Wilmington on Haylee Cureton's third goal of the afternoon.  Jocelyn Cosgrove and Jairy Sandoal each took shots on goal, but the Wildcats continued to protect the net to keep the Warriors from cutting into their lead.  The Wildcats took a ten goal lead on a free position goal by Makenzie Stritzinger.
 
The Wildcats and Warriors remained scoreless until there were just over two minutes left in the final quarter of the game.  A foul in the eight meter allowed Jairy Sandoval to take a free position shot.  Sandoval put the ball into the cage to put the Warriors back within ten goals of the Wildcats.  However, Wilmington went on to win the game in a 17-6 point final.
 
 
 
What's Next
 
The Warriors will remain at home on March 5 as they host the Lees-McRae Bobcats at Childs Field at 1 p.m.  They will then travel to Mount Olive, NC on March 10 as they take on the University of Mount Olive Trojans.  Southern Wesleyan will then travel to Spartanburg, SC to take on the Converse Valkyries.