MARS HILL, N.C. – The win streak rolled on for the Lincoln Memorial women's lacrosse team, as they won their seventh straight game, and stayed unbeaten in SAC play moving to 3-0 in the conference. The Lady Railsplitters went on the road to Mars Hill, and came home with an 18-13 victory, as Ali Van Der Ziel recorded her 100th career point in the win.
 
The two teams traded blows in the first 15 minutes of play, leading to a 3-3 tie at the end of the period. LMU struck first, the first goal coming from the stick of Ali Van Der Ziel less than two minutes into the game. Avery Van Der Ziel followed that up with another LMU goal, socring off the pass from Jaedyn Ryba. After a Lions goal, Ryba found the back of the net herself, this goal off an assist from Ana Carney. Mars Hill would score twice before the end of the quarter to tie the game.
 
The Lady Railsplitters put on a dominant offensive showing in the second quarter, scoring 10 goals in the period to take control of the game. LMU scored six straight goals to open the quarter, started by Ali Van Der Ziel scoring 27 seconds into the period. Sydnee Saksa followed that up with a goal of her own off a pass from Csenar. Avery Van Der Ziel netted one off a pass from Ali, then Ali scored one of her own, again with Csenar assisting. Csenar again tallied an assist, as shed dished one out on a Sierra Landsman goal. Jaime Small finished off the run with her first goal of the game, with Ali Van Der Ziel recording the assist. Mars Hill stopped the run with a goal, but the Lady Railsplitters Responded with a 4-1 run to close out the half. The Van Der Ziel sisters combined for another goal, as Ali assisted Avery. Rudi Lyles and Avery Van Der Ziel scored back-to-back unassisted goals, then Kelly Csenar scored her first of the game off a pass from Chandler Bell. The Lions got one back to end the half, but LMU led 13-5 heading into the break.
 
It was a back and forth third period, but again LMU struck first, this time as Avery Van Der Ziel off a pass from Ali. Following a Lion goal, the Blue and Gray scored twice, first as Csenar scored her second of the game off a pass from Ali Van Der Ziel, then Rudi Lyles netted an unassisted goal. Mars Hill scored two in a row, but Michaela Clark answered back, with Ali Van Der Ziel again recording the assist. The home team scored again, but just before the clock ran out on the quarter, Avery Van Der Ziel put her sixth goal past the keeper, with her sister recording her seventh assist on the play.
 
The Lions cut into the lead throughout the fourth quarter, scoring four goals over the last 15 minutes, but the LMU defense buckled down and held firm, stopping any Mars Hill comeback attempt.
 
The Van Der Ziels once again paced the offense, as Avery scored six goals, while Ali scored three times, and also dished out seven assists. Kelly Csenar scored twice and recorded three assists, and Jaedyn Ryba tallied two goals and one assist. Small, Lyles, Clark, Landsman, and Saksa all netted goals. Bell and Carney recorded one assist apiece.
 
Elle Miller saved eight shots in net, putting up a .533 save percentage, while also grabbing six groundballs. Breanna Booth, Carney, Avery Van Der Ziel, Ali Van Der Ziel, Ryba, and Lina Martinez all fielded multiple groundballs.
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Railsplitters return home this coming Saturday when they welcome in Limestone at 3 PM.
 
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.