MONTEVALLO, ALA. – The season could not have started much better for the Lincoln Memorial women's lacrosse team. Five different Lady Railsplitters scored and the defense held the Falcons down as LMU came out with a 12-9 victory over the Falcons of Montevallo.
 
Avery Van Der Ziel got the scoring started with a goal 37 seconds in the game, as she found the back of the net off an assist from her sister Ali. Ali then got in on the scoring, with an unassisted goal to put the Lady Railsplitters up 2-0. Their scoring run continued, as Avery once again scored, this time unassisted to increase the lead to three early in the first quarter.
 
The Falcons got two back, but another Avery Van Der Ziel goal brought the lead back out to 4-2. Montevallo would score again, but this time Ali Van Der Ziel responded to give LMU a 5-3 advantage heading into halftime.
 
 Montevallo scored twice right out of halftime to even the score, but the Lady Railsplitters went on a 4-0 scoring run to retake control of the game. Ali Van Der Ziel scored twice in a row, the first one assisted by Jolee Davis and the second one assisted by Sierra Landsman. That was followed up by an unassisted goal from Breanna Booth in a man-up situation. Melanie Cascio closed out the scoring run, as she put one past the goalkeeper off an assist from Booth.
 
The Falcons got a goal back, but Cascio responded again with an unassisted goal to give LMU a 10-6 lead with 15 minutes to play.
 
In the fourth quarter, Montevallo opened the scoring with a goal to cut their deficit to three. The Lady Railsplitters once again answered back, this time Kelly Csenar scored off an assist from Deadre Jackson, then in another man-up situation, Ali Van Der Ziel scored again, this assisted by Rudi Lyles to increase their lead back up to five. The Falcons would get two more goals before time ran out, but it wasn't enough and LMU won their first game of the season.
 
Defensively, freshman Elle Miller was great in her Lady Railsplitter debut, saving 11 Falcon shots. The rest of the defense caused eight turnovers, with Avery Van Der Ziel leading the way with two. They also fielded 12 groundballs, as Jaedyn Ryba got three, while Avery and Csenar both had two apiece.
 
Offensively, SAC preseason second-team member Ali Van Der Ziel lived up to that selection, scoring five times and assisting on one more goal. Her sister Avery scored three goals and assisted on one more, while Melanie Cascio put two in the back of the net.
 
"I'm extremely proud of the entire group today," said head coach Alyssa Shaver. "It was truly a team win and I can't wait to see them play the rest of the season."
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Railsplitters stay on the road next Saturday, as they travel to South Carolina to take on Lander. The game is scheduled for 2:00 pm. LMU will return for their first home game since 2019, as they welcome in North Greenville on February 19th.
 
How to Follow
Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms - @LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram, for complete coverage of Lady Railsplitter lacrosse throughout the 2021-22 season.