Mars Hill, NC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Mars Hill Lions on Wednesday evening in a 12-4 final score.
The Warriors took 16 shots with 13 being on goal in the loss to the Lions. Rinna Beth Brooker led the team with five shots on goal. Behind Brooker, Ella McCowen had three shots on goal and Fianna Steves had two. McCowen led the Warriors with two goals. Both Brooker and Steves had solo goals.
Southern Wesleyan won 13 draws during the game. Fianna Steves and Ella McCowen each won four draws while Mack Moreau followed close behind them with three draws won. The Warriors caused two turnovers and came up with 28 ground balls. Aleiza Manns and Steves each had five ground balls. Caroline Lark, Ava Lombardi and Hannon Graybeal each spent time on the cage for the Warriors. Lark and Graybeal each had three saves, and Lombardi picked up two saves.
Game Vitals
Final: Mars Hill 12, Southern Wesleyan 4
Record: Southern Wesleyan (1-2 / CC 0-1) Mars Hill (1-0)
How It Happened
Mack Moreau won the first draw of the match, but the Warriors could not control the ball as Kendall Middleton picked up the ball and passed it down the field to Abby Cleveland. Cleveland sent the ball into the cage to give the Lions the early lead. Mars Hill attacked again, but Caroline Lark saved the attack from finding the back of the cage. With just over four minutes left in the quarter, Rinna Beth Brooker attacked the cage, but Emma Porterfield saved her shot from reaching the net to tie the game. The Lions pressed on as Madison Welch scored to give Mars Hill a 2-0 goal advantage. Mack Moreau ripped the ball toward the net from beyond the eight meter in an attempt to cut into the Lions lead, but Porterfield prevented her attack from paying off.
Mars Hill pushed on as Madison Welch sent the ball toward the cage, but Ava Lombardi saved the attack. Southern Wesleyan countered with an attack on the cage by Rinna Beth Brooker, but Emma Porterfield stood strong in the cage. Shots by Brooker and Fianna Steves could not find the cage as well. Rinna Beth Brooker drove to the cage once again and sent the ball into the back of the net to put the Warriors on the board with just over eleven minutes left in the second quarter. The Lions distanced themselves from the Warriors as Haley Stallings and Kendall Middleton found the back of the net. Mars Hill would not back down as they took a six goal advantage off a goal by Abby Cleveland. A last second goal by Nevaeh Louden allowed the Lions to lead 8-1 at halftime.
Southern Wesleyan won the opening draw of the third quarter as Fianna Steves came down with the ball. The Lions extended on their lead as Kendall Middleton scored another goal. A foul in the eight meter allowed Fianna Steves to score her lone goal of the game. The Warriors continued to challenge as Rinna Beth Brooker took a shot on the goal, but her shot went wide to prevent Southern Wesleyan from cutting into Mars Hill's lead further. Southern Wesleyan cleared the ball down the field and Ella McCowen sent the ball into the back of the cage to put the Warriors behind the Lions 10-3. Mars Hill pushed on as Middleton scored once again. McCowen spun around the defense and sent the ball into the cage for her second goal of the evening.
Aleiza Manns took a shot on the goal, but Emma Porterfield saved the attack from finding the back of the cage. Southern Wesleyan continued to challenge as Alexa Simpson attempted to cut into the Lions lead, but once more Porterfield saved the attack. Shots by Rinna Beth Brooker and Mack Moreau were also thwarted. The Lions countered with a shot by Chandler Werner, but her shot was saved by Ava Lombardi. Southern Wesleyan continued to threaten with shots by Ella McCowen and Fianna Steves. However, a last second goal by Kendall Middleton allowed the Lions to win the game in a 12-4 final score.
What's Next
The Warriors will remain on the road on February 15 as they travel to Wise, VA to take on the UVA Wise Cavaliers at 2pm. They will then return to Central, SC to host the Coker Cobras on Childs Field at noon. Southern Wesleyan will host Catawba on February 26.
