Elon Women’s Lacrosse Downs Lancers, 15-4, in Rhodes

ELON, N.C. – The Elon women’s lacrosse team maintained its perfect home record with a 15-4 victory over Longwood tonight, March 19, in Rhodes Stadium. The Phoenix improves to 4-5 on the season, while the Lancers fall to 2-5.

The Phoenix outshot the Lancers, 31-13, and won the advantage at the draw, 13-8. Elon picked up 22 ground balls and finished 4-of-7 in free-position shots. Seven players in the maroon and gold tallied points in the game as Anna Vitton led the way with four goals and one assist. Sloane Kessler scored three goals and assisted in two, while Olivia Fernandez posted three scores and Molly Garrigan finished with two goals and one assist. Megan Weissman, Emily Bishop and Annie Shenk all posted goals to join in the scoring effort.

Goalie Rachel Ramierz picked up her fourth win between the pipes with two saves, six ground balls and three caused turnovers. Elle Hvozdovic claimed seven draws for the Phoenix, while Kessler also tallied five ground balls.

The Phoenix rattled off the first five scores of the game, including two man-up opportunities, for a 5-0 lead at the 19:02 mark. The Lancers posted its first goal with 12:26 to play in the half before Vitton scored for the third time in the game on a free-position shot to make it a 6-1 Elon advantage.

Fernandez then netted back-to-back goals, including one on a free-position shot, followed by a score by Weissman to give the Phoenix a 9-1 lead at the break.

In the second half, Garrigan opened up the scoring 31 seconds in with her second score of the game and was followed by two goals from Kessler for an 11-goal advantage for Elon, 12-1, with 25:34 left in the game.

The Lancers answered with back-to-back scores in less than two minutes to close its deficit to nine, 12-3. Elon then netted goals by Emily Bishop, her first of the season, and Vitton’s fourth of the game for a 14-3 Phoenix lead.

Longwood’s Sarah Butler scored at the 10:33 mark before Shenk posted the final goal with just over a minute remaining to make it an 11-goal final differential.

For the game, Elon finished 10-of-12 in clear attempts, while Longwood was 7-of-12. The Lancers’ Christian Acker took the loss after seven saves on Elon’s 31 shots in the game.

Elon will play its next game at Davidson on Saturday, March 22, in Davidson, N.C. Opening draw against the Wildcats is set for 2 p.m.