CENTRAL, S.C. – The Emory & Henry University Women's Lacrosse Team (0-1) got its 2025 campaign underway Saturday afternoon on the road at Southern Wesleyan University (1-0). The Wasps gave the Warriors all they could handle, but eventually came up just short by an 11-9 final score.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Southern Wesleyan 11, Emory & Henry 9
LOCATION – Central, South Carolina
VENUE – Childs Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (0-1, 0-0 SAC); Southern Wesleyan (1-0, 0-0 Carolinas)
How It Happened
- The Wasps got the scoring started just under five minutes into the opening quarter as sophomore attacker Avery McHargue (Weaverville, N.C.) found junior midfielder Justyce Jones (Jacksonville, N.C.) who buried a shot into the back of the net to give E&H the early 1-0 advantage. SWU answered with a pair of goals to momentarily take the lead until senior attacker Mina Hicks (Lexington Park, Md.) scored an unassisted tally with 1:17 on the clock in the opening stanza to knot the score at 2-2. The home team added another goal to take a 3-2 lead into the second quarter.
- SWU tallied the first two scores of the quarter to increase its margin out to 5-2. E&H got a goal back at the 10:09 mark when Jones registered her second goal of the game to cut the deficit to 5-3. After a SWU score on a free-position opportunity, McHargue got in on the scoring act when she took a pass from sophomore midfielder Meg Bruner (Otto, N.C.) and beat the goalie to make it 6-4. Hicks followed suit two minutes later with her second tally of the game to pull the Wasps within just one at 6-5 heading into the halftime break.
- E&H came out firing to begin the second half as freshman midfielder Whitney Holland (Rocky Mount, Va.) scored her first collegiate goal on an assist from Hicks on a man-up opportunity and doubled her goal total 26 seconds later on a free-position shot as the Wasps took a 7-6 lead. SWU responded with a pair of goals to wrap up the third quarter and took a narrow 8-7 advantage into the fourth.
- Jones completed her hat trick at the 10:18 mark when she finished a pass from Hicks to tie things up at 8-8. SWU came roaring back with three consecutive scores over the following seven and a half minutes of play to balloon their margin back out to three goals at 11-8. Hicks recorded her hat trick with her third goal of the game with 40 seconds left, but it was not enough and the home squad earned the 11-9 win.
Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
- Hicks paced the Wasps with three goals and a pair of assists while adding five draw controls, three ground balls and a caused turnover. Jones finished with three scores, seven ground balls, six draw controls and three caused turnovers. Holland went for a pair of goals, three ground balls and a draw control in her collegiate debut.
- Freshman midfielder Madison Stewart (Blacksburg, Va.) recorded seven ground balls and caused three turnovers while senior defender Riley Firebaugh (Roanoke, Va.) added four ground balls and forced a pair of turnovers.
- Junior goalie Kaitlyn Evans (Gambrills, Md.) tied her career high with 16 saves in net and had a game-high 12 ground balls while forcing a turnover.
Southern Wesleyan Individual Leaders
- Rinna Beth Brooker led the way for the Warriors with a game-high four goals, seven ground balls, three draw controls and a forced turnover. Fianna Steves went for two goals, nine ground balls, three caused turnovers and a draw control.
- Ava Lombardi, Caroline Lark and Hannon Graybeal combined for 11 saves in goal for the Warriors. Lombardi logged 39:24 in between the pipes to earn the win.
Up Next
- The Wasps enter South Atlantic Conference play on Saturday, February 8 when they travel to take on the Wolves of Newberry College. First draw is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Newberry, South Carolina.
--E&H--