GREENWOOD – On a vibrant Saturday afternoon where the 2025 Senior Class was honored in a pregame ceremony, the No. 12/22 Lander women's lacrosse team continued its winning ways with a 15-7 triumph over Lee in conference-opening action.
The Bearcats moved to 9-2 and 1-0 in the Gulf South Conference with the win, and the seven seniors honored today were:
Emma Boder,
Mickey Burnett,
Autumn Huskey,
Brooke Kelly,
Kara Krusbe,
Amelia McCauley and
Izzy Olson.
Kelly and
Ella Benson both had four goals and four points to lead the offensive output, with Burnett adding three scores.
Kylie Fragala scored two, and McCauley and Olson added Senior Day goals of their own.
Krusbe stopped seven shots in net to continue her impressive campaign, and
Kaia Morey put together a career day with seven caused turnovers, two ground balls and two draw controls.
It took a little time for the Blue and Gold offense to get churning with the score 2-1 Bearcats after 15 minutes – Fragala (5:07 of the first) and Burnett (14:28) were the goal-scorers.
Olson took advantage of a free-position chance less than a minute into the second quarter for a 3-1 Lander lead. Benson followed 50 seconds after that to make it 4-1 off a pass from McCauley.
Leading 6-3, the Bearcats poured in the final four goals of the half for a 10-3 advantage after 30 minutes. Burnett scored off a feed from Fragala for her third of the day and goal No. 7 for Lander.
Benson scored goals 8 and 9 while Kelly added the 10th.
Three more third quarter goals gave the Bearcats a 7-0 scoring run and a 13-3 margin after Fragala scored her second of the day with 3:37 left in the quarter.
A 13-5 lead in hand, McCauley found the back of the net halfway through the fourth, and Kelly had the final Bearcat tally with six minutes to play.
For the game, Lander outshot Lee 31-15 overall and 19-11 in shots on goal.
Lander has a week to prepare for another GSC matchup in No. 11/11 Flagler next Saturday (March 29). Game time at Van Taylor Stadium is scheduled for noon.
(Rankings derived from USA Lacrosse Magazine and IWLCA Polls)
