SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After suffering a heartbreaking defeat on Saturday against Slippery Rock, the Lander Women's Lacrosse team used two separate 7-0 runs in the first half to take a big lead and never look back as they defeated the Converse Valkyries, 20-8, at Weisiger Stadium on Tuesday evening in the first-ever matchup between the two squads.
Both squads moved to .500 on the season as Lander improved to 4-4 while Converse dropped to 5-5.
Nine players scored for Lander, led by Emmy Peterson with six goals. She also led the team in assists with four and ground balls with five. Alyssa Suchan and Mickey Burnett each netted three goals apiece as well.
The ten points from Peterson tied Suchan's program record for points in a game set last year against Catawba.
Defensively, Autumn Huskey caused five turnovers while Ella Benson was right behind with four. Izzy Olson led the team in draw controls with seven.
The Bearcats jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead before the first quarter was half over as Peterson had a hat trick before the eight-minute mark of the quarter. Burnett also contributed two goals to the run while Suchan and Olson each netted one.
Converse's Izzy Eby went on a solo 3-0 run to cut into the Lander lead but another goal from Peterson and Suchan in addition to Kasey Bronco made it 10-3 going into halftime.
After the break, the Bearcats put the game in running clock territory with pairs of goals from Benson and
Kylie Fragala to make it 14-3.
Converse got the margin back under ten with back-to-back goals but it was only temporary as Peterson netted a man-up and man-down goal consecutively before Burnett and Brooke Kelly brought the lead up to 13 at 18-5.
Converse made one last run with two straight goals but goals from Suchan and Kayla Smith, the first of her career, iced the game for Lander.
The Bearcats return to Van Taylor Stadium on Friday as they welcome the Frostburg State Bobcats to Greenwood for a 4:00 PM first draw.
