Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell in a heart breaker to the Mars Hill Lions on Wednesday evening in a 10-9 final score.
The Warriors totaled 23 shots with 19 being on target in the loss to the Lions. Caelyn Little led the team with seven shots on goal while both Taylor Townsend and Ella McCowen having four shots on goal. Townsend had four goals in the game. Behind her both Little and McCowen had two goals. The other goal of the game came out of the stick of Charlotte Barnette. Little led the team with four assists. Fianna Steves and Hayley Billings each had one assist in the game.
Southern Wesleyan won eight draw controls during the game. Fianna Steves led the team with four draws, while Ella McCowen was just behind her with three. Both Steves and McCowen caused three turnovers. Of the 37 ground balls, Steves led the team with six. Charlette Barnette and Alyssa Mader each picked up five ground balls.
Ava Lombardi started the game in the cage for the Warriors. Lombardi played fifty-two minute sand had seven saves. Amanda Erikson recorded seven minutes in the cage and had the remaining two saves of the game.
Game Vitals
Final: Mars Hill 10, Southern Wesleyan 9
Records: Southern Wesleyan (0-4) Mars Hill (3-0)
How It Happened
The Lions were first on the board as Cierra Ledeen scored just two minutes into the game. Southern Wesleyan battled on as Hayley Billings won the next draw control. Charlotte Barnette picked up a ground ball and took the ball down the field. Barnette got the ball out to Caelyn Little who quickly passed the ball in to Taylor Townsend. Townsend sent the ball into the back of the cage to tie the game up at one. However, Mars Hill quickly countered as Ledeen scored her second goal of the game. Victoria Kaercher saved shots on the cage by Little and Ella McCowen.
Mars Hill continued to press in the second quarter as Cierra Ledeen scored her third goal of the game. The Warriors were not done as Caelyn Little picked up the ball and quickly wove around the defense before firing the ball into the back of the cage. The Lions scored again, but the Warriors did not back down as a foul in the eight meter allowed Ella McCowen to take a free position shot. McCowen drilled the ball past Kaercher to put the Warriors within two goals of Mars Hill. With just over four minutes on the clock, Fianna Steves got the ball over to McCowen. McCowen flipped the ball into the cage to put the Warriors within one point of the Lions. Taylor Townsend got the ball into the cage to tie the game up at five. However, Kendall Middleton scored in the final scored to give Mars Hill a 6-5 goal lead at halftime.
The Lions looked to extend their lead in the third quarter as Cierra Ledeen and Reese Wachter each put up shots on the cage. However, Ava Lombardi was there each time to knock them away. Southern Wesleyan pressed on as they cleared the ball down the field. Caelyn Little got the ball over to Taylor Townsend. Townsend got the ball into the cage to allow the Warriors to tie the game up at six. A foul in the eight meter allowed Little to take a free position shot. Little got the ball around Victoria Kaercher to give the Warriors their first lead of the game. Seconds later, Townsend sent the ball into the cage to allow the Warriors to take a two goal lead over the Lions. Mars Hill looked to cut into their lead as Brooklyn Nemitz put up a shot, but once more Lombardi was there to thwart the attack.
Southern Wesleyan continued to pressure the Mars Hill defense in the final quarter of the game. After a green card was issued on the Lions, Hayley Billings passed the ball over to Charlotte Barnette. Barnette drilled the ball into the back of the cage to score her first collegiate goal. Mars Hill upped the intensity as goals by Reese Wachter and Brooklyn Nemitz allowed the Lions to tie the game back up at nine. Southern Wesleyan looked to regain the lead as Taylor Townsend put up several shots, but none of them found the back of the net. With just over two minutes left on the clock, Wachter scored yet another goal for the Lions. Ella MCCowen and Caelyn Little each put up shots on the cage, but Victoria Kaercher was there to save each attack. Mars Hill walked away with a 10-9 goal victory over the Warriors.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will hit the road to Cleveland, TN on February 27 to take on the Lee Flames. They will then return to Central, SC on March 5 to take on the Truett-McConnell Bears in non-conference action. The Warriors will host the UVA Wise Cavaliers at 1pm on March 9.
