ANDERSON, S.C. – After moving the game from a home contest to a road battle, the Lander women's lacrosse team earned a convincing 13-6 win over Anderson under the lights Thursday night at Spero Financial Field.
The win is Lander's second straight and they've poured in 31 goals in those wins.
Mickey Burnett and
Kylie Fragala led the way for the Bearcats in this one with three goals apiece while
Izzy Olson had a pair.
Five others scored once:
Ella Benson,
Brooke Kelly,
Amelia McCauley,
Kayla Smith and
Sophie Warren.
Kara Krusbe had a shining performance in goal for the Blue and Gold as she stopped 13 of 19 shots faced for a .684 save percentage.
Calloway Umstead caused two turnovers to help lead the defensive charge.
The Bearcats fell behind 3-0 to the Trojans, who were playing their season opener, but rebounded over the final five-plus minutes of the first quarter to tie it at 3.
Kelly – this week's Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Week – put the Bearcats on the board 9:48 into the night on a free-position shot before Burnett fired home two of her own.
Anderson reclaimed a 4-3 lead to open the second quarter but Lander scored four unanswered to take a 7-4 advantage into halftime.
Fragala sandwiched free-position goals around Smith's lone score to make it 6-4 with 3:06 left in the half and Olson rifled home her first just before the second quarter buzzer.
McCauley took advantage of a woman-up situation by scoring 4:41 into the second half to increase the lead to 8-4. Burnett closed her book less than a minute later for a 9-4 Lander lead – the Bearcats scored six straight goals between the second and third quarters.
Benson doubled up the Trojans for a 10-5 margin midway through the third, followed by Warren's score that was assisted by Kelly.
Fragala converted on another woman-up opportunity and Olson added her second to finish the scoring with five minutes left.
The Bearcats return home for a matchup with Young Harris on Saturday (Feb. 15). Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
