Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan dropped the conference match-up against the North Greenville Crusaders on Saturday in a 15-6 final score.

The Warriors took 21 shots and had 16 shots on goal in the loss to the Crusaders.  Lauryn Esposito led the team with eight shots and six shots on goal.  She was followed by Yael Echeverria with seven shots and five shots on goal.  Esposito went on to lead the team with three of the six goals.  She was followed by Echeverria with two and Fianna Steves with one.  Both Steves and Esposito had assists.

Southern Wesleyan collected 23 ground balls.  Fianna Steves led the team with six.  The Warriors caused 13 turnovers with Steves leading the team with four.  Behind her, Nyah Garner caused three turnovers.  The Warriors won five draws during the game with Steves leading the team with two.  Caroline Lark played all sixty minutes in goal and collected 11 saves.

Game Vitals

Final: North Greenville 15, Southern Wesleyan 6

Records: Southern Wesleyan (2-6 / CC 1-4) North Greenville (7-5 / CC 4-1)

How It Happened

Southern Wesleyan attacked the goal quickly as Fianna Steves won the first draw of the game.  Lauryn Esposito moved the ball around the cage and passed it back to Steves who flipped it into the back of the cage to give the Warriors the early lead.  However, the lead was short lived as the Crusaders tied the game right back up on a goal by Ashley Thatcher seconds later.  The Crusaders went back on the attack as Emily Zambrano took a shot on the goal, but Caroline Lark saved the attack.  The Warriors attacked the cage again with shots by Yael Echeverria and Nyah Garner, but Tori Smith saved the ball to prevent the Warriors from regaining the lead.  North Greenville pressured back as Zambrano scored the second goal of the game for the Crusaders.  Lauryn Esposito took shots on the cage, but once again Smith saved the attacks from paying off.  Southern Wesleyan would not relent as Fianna Steves passed the ball over to Yael Echeverria who scored to allow the Warriors to tie the game once again.  Zambrano scored her second free position shot goal of the game to put the Crusaders back ahead by one.

The Warriors carried on the intensity in the second quarter of the match.  Lauryn Esposito raced the ball down the field and put it quickly into the goal to tie the game up 3-3.  However, the Crusaders would not relent as Emily Zambrano repeatedly attacked the cage.  Caroline Lark stayed strong in the cage as she saved the attacks from paying off.  Kayla Harris collected the ball and put it into the cage to put North Greenville on top 4-3.  Zambrano put in back-to-back goals to extend the Crusaders lead.  The Warriors were not discouraged as Yael Echeverria put the ball into the cage for the fourth goal of the game for the Warriors.  A foul in the eight meter allowed the Warriors to take a free position attempt.  Lauryn Esposito took the attempt and put it into the cage to put the Warriors back within one goal of the Crusaders.  Southern Wesleyan attacked again as Echeverria and Nyah Garner each took shots on the goal, but Tori Smith saved the attacks.  North Greenville led 6-5 at halftime.

North Greenville took the first goal of the third quarter as Emily Zambrano scored once again for the Crusaders.  Southern Wesleyan countered as Fianna Steves and Lauryn Esposito took back-to-back shots on goal, but Tori Smith remained strong in the cage to keep the Warriors' attacks from paying off.  The Crusaders put in their eighth goal of the game out of the stick of Ashley Thatcher.  North Greenville maintained the intensity as Emma Mayew and Kayla Harris scored back-to-back goals.  Lauryn Esposito collected the ball and raced down the field yet again to score.  North Greenville would not relent as they scored twice more to lead 13-6 at the end of the third quarter.

The Crusaders continued to attack as Emily Zambrano took another shot, but this time the ball went wide.  The Warriors countered with a shot by Yael Echeverria, however it went wide.  Jocelyn Cosgrove took a shot on the goal, but Lily Carter saved the attack to keep the Warriors from cutting into their lead.  North Greenville attacked the cage once again as Erin Wheaton scored.  Once again the Crusaders scored this time out of the stick of Julia Griffin.   Despite attacks on the goal by Fianna Steves, the Warriors fell to the Crusaders 15-6

What's Next

Southern Wesleyan will remain at home on April 4 as they host the Truett-McConnell Bears at 5 pm on Childs Field.  They will then host the University of Mount Olive Trojans on April 7 at 3 p.m.  The Warriors will host their final home game of the 2022 season on April 12 at 6 pm as they welcome the Converse Valkyries to Childs Field.