HARROGATE, TENN. – What a way to close out the regular season. The day started off with the women's lacrosse team honoring their four seniors, and it ended with a dramatic 10-9 victory over Newberry.
 
The four seniors that were honored before the game were Melanie Cascio, Michaela Clark, Lina Martinez, and Sydnee Saksa. Those four combined for 26 wins, 41 goals, 18 assists, 95 groundballs, and 38 caused turnovers in their four years in Harrogate.
 
"This was a great way to end our regular season and celebrate our seniors. Our team really came together to pull out a win and I'm extremely excited to head into the conference tournament," said head coach Alyssa Shaver. "I also want to thank the seniors for everything they have done for this program. I am truly blessed to have gotten the opportunity to coach them for their final season."
 
Once the game started, it was a back and forth battle, with neither team able to fully take control of the game. The Wolves opened the scoring with two consecutive goals, but that run was quickly ended by an Avery Van Der Ziel goal, as she was assisted by her sister Ali. Newberry responded with a power play goal, but this time Ali Van Der Ziel answered with two straight goals of her own to tie the game up early in the second quarter.
 
Newberry would score three straight goals early in the second quarter to take a three-goal advantage for much of the period. However, late in the period the Lady Railsplitter offense responded, as Avery scored with 20 seconds remaining, then Jaedyn Ryba scored off a free-position attempt with just one second left on the clock to cut the deficit to 6-5 heading into the half.
 
Ali Van Der Ziel scored minutes into the third period to tie the game at six, before the two teams traded goals. After a Newberry goal, Ryba scored again, this one off a pass from Ali, and then after another Wolves goal, Jolee Davis struck for LMU, scoring her first goal of the game, off an assist from Breanna Booth. Ali Van Der Ziel and Jaedyn Ryba would score back to back goals to put the Lady Railsplitters up by two goals late in the fourth quarter. Newberry attempted to come back, but could only muster one late goal, and LMU hung on for the senior day victory.
 
Ali Van Der Ziel scored five goals and passed out two assists, while Jaedyn Ryba also recorded a hat trick. Avery Van Der Ziel and Jolee Davis each scored once, while Booth also recorded an assist.
 
Elle Miller picked up the win in net, saving seven shots in the second half and holding the Wolves to only three goals in the final 30 minutes of play. Cascio, Saksa, Ryba, Delaney Duck, both Van Der Ziel sisters, and Sophia Gardea all recorded multiple ground balls. Matinez, Duck, and Avery Van Der Ziel all caused multiple Wolves turnovers.
 
UP NEXT
LMU heads into the SAC Tournament as the five seed, and will travel to Lenoir-Rhyne on Tuesday for their quarterfinal game. The game time is still TBD.
 
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.