Wilson, NC – Southern Wesleyan fell in their road contest against the Barton Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon in a 15-2 final score.
The Warriors had eight shots with five being on target in the loss to the Bulldogs. Ella McCowen and Fianna Steves each had two shots on goal. McCowen and Taylor Townsend had the lone goals of the game for the Warriors. Hayley Billings had an assist.
Southern Wesleyan won nine draw controls with Ella McCowen having five. Of the 25 ground balls picked up by the Warriors, Ava Lombardi picked up nine and Fianna Steves had five. Steves went on to cause three of the seven turnovers. The other caused turnovers came off the stick of McCowen.
Ava Lombardi played all sixty minutes in the cage for the Warriors. She accumulated 17 saves for Southern Wesleyan.
Game Vitals
Final: Barton 15, Southern Wesleyan 2
Records: Southern Wesleyan (2-8 / CC 1-3) Barton (4-5 / CC 2-1)
How It Happened
The Bulldogs attacked the cage quickly as Joelle Cerneka scored just over a minute into the game. Barton continued their attacks on the cage, but Ava Lombardi was there to block each of the attacks from finding the net. Southern Wesleyan looked to cut into Barton's lead as both Hayley Billings and Fianna Steves sent the ball toward the net, but Alexandra Ashton kept the Warriors off the board. Barton pressed on as they scored four more times before the end of the first quarter.
The Warriors got on the board early in the second quarter as Hayley Billings passed the ball to the top of the circle to Taylor Townsend. Townsend drilled the ball into the net for Southern Wesleyan's first goal of the game. However, Barton won the next face off and quickly transitioned the ball into the stick of Reagan Fish who scored to put the Bulldogs back on top by five. Southern Wesleyan continued to look to find the back of the net as Ella McCowen took a shot on the goal, but Alexandra Ashton thwarted her attack once again. Barton pressed on to lead 11-1 at halftime.
Fianna Steves took a shot on the cage early in the third quarter, but once more Alexandra Ashton was there. Barton answered with attacks by Bergham Balparda and Nicole Malasky to extend on their lead. Malasky looked to score another goal, but Ava Lombardi knocked her attack on the cage away to prevent the Bulldogs from capitalizing on the attack.
Barton picked up where they left off in the final quarter of the game as Berghan Balparda scored another goal. Caelyn Little's attack on the cage ricocheted off the post. Balparda and Nevaeh Eppolito continued their attacks on the goal, but Ava Lombardi and the Warriors defense was there to knock each one away. With just over seven minutes left in the final quarter, Ella McCowen put up a shot from the far right and scored her seventeenth goal of the season. Barton persevered as they won the game in a 15-2 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will return to Central, SC on March 25 as they host the Emmanuel Lions at 5pm. They will then welcome the Ferrum Panthers to the Joe R Gilbert Track and Field Complex on March 28 for a noon draw. On March 31, the Warriors will hit the road to Belmont, NC to take on the Belmont Abbey Crusaders.
