ROCK HILL, S.C. – The South Atlantic Conference announced the women's lacrosse all-conference teams Thursday morning, and LMU was represented across the three all league teams. Attacker Ali Van Der Ziel, midfielder Avery Van Der Ziel, and defender Delaney Duck all garnered all-conference accolades for their performances on the field this spring.
 
The three players have all played vital roles in the success the team is having on the field, as they Lady Railsplitters are in the midst of one of their most successful seasons in program history. Ali Van Der Ziel earned first-team all-conference, Avery Van Der Ziel earned second-team honors, and Duck received third-team all-conference.
 
Voted preseason second-team all-conference, Ali Van Der Ziel outperformed those expectations in a huge way this spring, landing her on the SAC first-team. The junior was one of the most prolific scorers in the South Atlantic Conference, leading the SAC with 108 points, finishing second in assists with 43, and was the third leading goal scorer at 65. The McKinney, Texas native tallied 16 games this year with more than three goals, including seven game of five or more goals. She recorded two games this year of double-digit points, an 11-point game, on seven goals and four assists in the win over Asbury (Feb. 26), and a 10-point performance with three goals and seven assists in the defeat of Mars Hill (March 16). In the nine SAC games alone, Van Der Ziel has recorded 31 goals and 20 assists. The attacker put together the most accomplished scoring season in LMU women's lacrosse history, and now sits in second-place in LMU history in career assists (52), third in career points (142), and fifth in career goals (90). Her outstanding play this year shattered previous records for the most points (64), goals (51), and assists (18) in a single season, as well as setting the single-game point record, which she did with her 11 points against Asbury.
 
In her first full season as a Lady Railsplitter, senior Avery Van Der Ziel put together a breakout performance, leading to a second-team all-conference placement. The midfielder was all over the field offensively and defensively, tallying 52 points on 45 goals and seven assists, as well as possessing 53 draw controls, fielding 35 groundballs, and causing 29 turnovers. From McKinney, Texas, Van Der Ziel ranked in the top-10 in the conference in caused turnovers and top-15 in the conference in draw controls and goals. Van Der Ziel put together 13 games in which she scored multiple goals, 10 of which were three or more goal games. In the Lady Railsplitters SAC season-opening win over UVA-Wise (March 5), Van Der Ziel scored five times, including the game-winner in double-overtime. Her top scoring day was in the win over Mars Hill (March 15) in which she scored a career-high six goals. Defensively, she was one of the most disruptive backline players, notching seven games of causing multiple turnovers, highlighted by her eight caused turnovers against Lees-McRae (Feb. 22).
 
Despite being a true freshman, Delaney Duck sure didn't play like one, playing a key role on the Lady Railsplitters backline all season long, and earning her a spot on the SAC third-team. The defender played in 17 games, and made her presence felt on the opposing offenses, causing 23 turnovers and picking up 32 groundballs, both of which were second on the team. One of only four freshmen to make an all-conference team, Duck helped the LMU defense record nine games of holding the opponent to single-digit goal games. The Seymour High graduate, Duck tallied five games of causing multiple turnovers, including LMU's SAC quarterfinal win over Lenoir-Rhyne (April 26), in which she caused three turnovers. In 10 contests, Duck fielded multiple groundballs, including five in the matchup against Limestone (March 19), and four in the victory over Lees-McRae (Feb. 22).
 

 All-SAC First Team
A – Rebecca Kinsley, Queens
A – Elizabeth Muscella, Limestone
A – Ali Van Der Ziel, Lincoln Memorial
A – Kaitlyn Hardin, Queens

MF – Leah Knowles, Wingate
MF – Kyleigh Masteran, Queens
MF – Becca Ruiz, Wingate
MF – Sarah Dudick, Limestone

D – Grace Guglielmo, Queens
D – Bailey Stumpf, Limestone
D – Erin Smith, UVA Wise
D – Cassie Lafler, Lenoir-Rhyne

GK – Aryn Dorr, Catawba
 
All-SAC Second Team
A – Suzy Smith, Lenoir-Rhyne
A – Bella Pellet, Wingate
A – Jolan Morey, Lenoir-Rhyne
A – Cassell Richardson, Newberry

MF – Chloe Wood, Newberry
MF – Shannon Kingston, Queens
MF – Sydney Bracken, Queens
MF – Avery Van Der Ziel, Lincoln Memorial

D – Isabelle Dunnam, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Emily Phipps, Wingate
D – Madalyn Messersmith, Newberry
D – Erin Young, Catawba

GK – Megan Biase, Wingate
 
 
 
All-SAC Third Team
A – Carson Giordano, Queens
A – Tia Tuininga, Tusculum
A – Paige Kamer, Wingate
A – Katie Allen, UVA Wise

MF – Shannon Donovan, Queens
MF – Sydney Joyce, Mars Hill
MF – Grace Golatt, UVA Wise
MF – Mallory Trimble, UVA Wise

D – Delaney Duck, Lincoln Memorial
D – Avery McMullin, Queens
D – Maren Lawrence, Limestone
D – Kaylee mia Geist, Queens

GK – Teanna Sieben, Lenoir-Rhyne
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Leah Knowles, Wingate
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Aryn Dorr, Catawba
 
Freshman of the Year
Cassell Richardson, Newberry
 
Coach of the Year
Abby Wiley, Wingate
 
Statistical Champions
Team Points per Game – Queens, 33.71
Team Caused Turnovers per Game – UVA Wise, 12.56
Team Ground Balls per Game – Mars Hill, 22.40
Team Scoring Offense – Queens, 21.94
Team Scoring Defense – Queens, 5.06
Team Scoring Margin – Queens, 16.88
Team Draw Controls per Game – Queens, 20.12
 
 Draw Controls per Game – Elizabeth Muscella - Limestone, 7.62
Ground Balls per Game – Gini Joy – Mars Hill, 5.58
Assists per Game – Rebecca Kinsley – Queens, 2.82
Saves per Game – Abby Kellner - Coker, 12.80
Goals-Against Average – Megan Biase - Wingate, 9.43
Save Percentage – Aryn Dorr, Catawba, 0.542
Goals per Game – Kyleigh Masteran - Queens, 4.41
Caused Turnovers per Game – Bailey Stumpf - Limestone, 3.13
Points per Game – Rebecca Kinsley - Queens, 6.24 
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Railsplitters return to Hickory on Friday for the SAC semi-finals, as they will take on Queens. Opening draw control is scheduled for 11 am.
 
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.