Banner Elk, NC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Lees-McRae Bobcats on Friday evening in a 20-7 final score.
The Warriors totaled 34 shots with 24 being on goal. Lauryn Esposito led the team with nine shots on goal. She was followed by Jocelyn Cosgrove with eight shots on goal and Yael Echeverria with six. Esposito picked up three goals. She was followed by Echeverria with two goals. Both Cosgrove and Lexi Richardson had solo goals. Cosgrove and Echeverria had assists.
Southern Wesleyan won seven draws with Mack Moreau leading the team with five. The Warriors caused 10 turnovers with both Yael Echeverria and Nyah Garner leading the team with three caused turnovers. Echeverria, Fianna Steves and Jocelyn Cosgrove each had five ground balls. Caroline Lark played all sixty minutes in goal and collected six saves.
Game Vitals
Final: Lees-McRae 20, Southern Wesleyan 7
Records: Southern Wesleyan (3-10 / CC 2-7) Lees-McRae (3-9 / CC 3-6)
How It Happened
Lees-McRae charged out of the gate as Shannan Korovich put in the first goal of the game. The Warriors countered on a shot by Yael Echeverria, but Aviva Beringhause saved the attack from paying off. Jocelyn Cosgrove and Echeverria continued to attack the cage, but Beringhause and the Bobcat defense stood strong to keep Southern Wesleyan off the board. The Bobcats pushed on taking a 4-0 goal advantage before Yael Echeverria was able to get the ball into the cage to put the Warriors on the board. A foul in the eight meter allowed Jocelyn Cosgrove to take a free position shot. Cosgrove put the ball into the back of the cage to keep the Warriors within three goals of the Bobcats. Nim Castro scored her second goal of the afternoon to extend Lees-McRae's lead to four. However, a goal by Lauryn Esposito allowed the Warriors to return to within three goals of the Bobcats.
The Bobcats continued to push ahead as Mckenzie Mellen passed the ball to Shannon Korovich who put it into the cage. Southern Wesleyan continued to challenge Lees-McRae as Fianna Steves, Lauryn Esposito and Yael Echeverria peppered the cage with attacks. However, Aviva Beringhause saved every attack to prevent the Warriors from cutting into the Bobcat's lead further. Jocelyn Cosgrove drove toward the cage, but once again the attacks were thwarted. Lees-McRae cleared the ball down the field and Genesis Lutsky put the ball into the cage to put the Bobcats on top 10-3. Back-to-back goals by Yael Echeverria and Lauryn Esposito put the Warriors down six goals to the Bobcats. Lees-McRae led 13-5 at halftime.
The Warriors attacked early as Yael Echeverria took a shot on the goal, but her shot went wide. The Bobcats countered as Nim Castro took a shot on the goal, but Caroline Lark saved the attack from paying off. A foul in the eight meter allowed Lauryn Esposito to take a free position shot and score another goal for the Warriors. Genesis Lutsky scored once again to put the Bobcats ahead by eight. Lauryn Esposito and Karla Gordon took shots on the goal, but Aviva Beringhause stood strong in the cage. The Warriors continued to attack as a foul in the eight meter allowed a second free position attempt. Lexi Richardson took the attempt and sent the ball into the cage.
Yael Echeverria attacked the cage again, but the ball ricocheted off the post to prevent it from going in. Lees-McRae countered with an attack of their own out of the stick of Genesis Lutsky, but Caroline Lark and the Warriors defense deterred the attack from paying off. The Bobcats would not relent as Shannan Korovich and Haley Donovan took shots, but they hit the post or blocked. Lees-McRae continued to push ahead as they scored six goals in a row to give them a 20-7 goal victory.
