Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the University of Bridgeport Purple Knights in a 17-4 final score on Tuesday evening.
Of the Warriors' 16 shots, fourteen were on target. Ella McCowen took four shots on the cage while both Mack Moreau and Rinna Beth Brooker each had three shots on cage. Aleiza Manns had two goals and both Brooker and Fianna Steves had one goal.
Southern Wesleyan won 11 draw controls with Fianna Steves leading the team with five. Ella McCowen won four draws. Of the nine caused turnovers, Steves had three and McCowen had two. Helen Posey picked up five ground balls. Both Steves and Mack Moreau had four ground balls.
Caroline Lark started the game in cage and had two saves in her thirteen minutes in the cage. Ava Lombardi and Hannon Graybeal also recorded minutes in the cage. Graybeal led the team six saves.
Game Vitals
Final: University of Bridgeport 17, Southern Wesleyan 4
Records: Southern Wesleyan (1-7) University of Bridgeport (1-1)
How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan charged out of the gate as Aleiza Manns took the ball all the way to the cage to give the Warriors a 1-0 goal lead just seconds into the start of the game. However, the Purple Knights countered as Tereza Kreuzova and Elizabeth Pitts scored back-to-back goals. The Warriors looked to tie the game up as Mack Moreau sent the ball toward the cage, but Jacklyn Mellia saved the ball from finding the cage. Bridgeport extended their lead to 6-1 with just over five minutes left on the clock as Emily Stuart sent the ball into the cage off a pass from Pitts. Fianna Steves charged to the cage and sent a rocket in, but Mellia was able to control the attack once again.
The Warriors went on the offensive early in the second quarter as Mack Moreau and Rinna Beth Brooker took shots on the net, but Jacklyn Mellia and the Purple Knight defense thwarted each of their attacks. Tara Dimaio got the ball past the Warriors' defense to score Bridgeport's seventh goal of the evening. Ella McCowen continued to attack the Purple Knights' defense as she took several more shots on the cage. However, Mellia would not let the Warriors cut into their lead. Samantha Targonski collected a pass from Dimaio and scored to give Bridgeport a 9-1 goal advantage. Rinna Beth Brooker wove around the defense and sent the ball into the cage for the Warriors' second goal of the day. Goals by Tereza Kreuzova and Emily Stuart allowed the University of Bridgeport to take an 11-2 goal lead at halftime.
The University of Bridgeport took a ten goal lead over Southern Wesleyan just over a minute into the third quarter as Tereza Kreuzova put the ball into the cage. The Purple Knights continued to challenge as Tara Dimaio took several shots on the cage, but Hannon Graybeal was able to prevent each attack from finding the back of the cage. Max McDermott scored seconds later to extend Bridgeport's lead to 13-2. Bridgeport would not relent as they put three more goals on the board before the end of the third quarter.
The Purple Knights continued to pepper the cage with shots by Cassidy Dalton and Tara Dimaio, but Hannon Graybeal and the Warriors' defense prevented them from extending their lead. Dimaio went on the attack once again and got the ball past Graybeal to give Bridgeport a 17-2 goal lead. A foul in the eight meter allowed Fianna Steves to take a free position shot. Steves sent the ball into the back of the net. The Warriors pushed on with shots by Rinna Beth Brooker and Mack Moreau, but Amber Militrano and the Purple Knights defense would not let Southern Wesleyan cut into their lead. Aleiza Manns wove around the Bridgeport defense to score with just over three minutes left in the quarter. However, the Warriors fell to the Purple Knights in a 17-4 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will travel to Spartanburg, SC to take on the Converse Valkyries on March 8 at 1pm. They will remain on the road on March 11 as they travel to Cleveland, GA to take on the Truett-McConnell Bears. The Warriors will host the Chowan Hawks on March 15 for senior day.
