CONWAY, S.C. – Trailing most of the game, the Elon women’s lacrosse team rallied to claim a 5-4 win in its first road game of the season at Coastal Carolina today, Feb. 19, in Brooks Stadium. The victory marked the third straight in as many years for the Phoenix over the Chanticleers.
Trailing 4-2 with under 14 minutes to play, Abby Godfrey found the back of the net for her second goal of the day to put the maroon and gold back within one, 4-3.
After a save at the other end by Rachel Ramirez, Elon cleared the ball and got it to Sloane Kessler who notched her second score of the game to even the score at four-all with 7:36 on the clock. Only 64 seconds later, Kessler rebounded after a free-position shot was saved to net her 10th of the season and give the Phoenix its first lead of the game, 5-4, at the 6:32 mark.
The Phoenix (3-0) outshot Coastal, 25-13, and took a 13-11 advantage in ground balls. Elon finished 12-of-14 in clear attempts but only scored one goal off five free-position shots.
Kessler netted three scores for the maroon and gold, including the final two to tie the game and take the eventual win. Godfrey posted two goals off four shots and picked up one ground ball and had a caused turnover, while Kelsey Dupere tallied the lone assist of the game for Elon.
Shannon Horan won three draw controls for the Phoenix, while Melanie McHugh recorded a game-high five ground balls. Ramirez posted her third win of the season in goal after five saves off 13 shots to tally a 55.6 save percentage.
The Chanticleers (0-1) finished 12-of-18 in clear attempts but won six draws in the game compared to Elon’s five. Sara Nolan scored all four of CCU’s goals, three of which were assisted by Maggie Carr. Jenna Stover took the loss between the posts after 16 saves in the game for a 76.2 save percentage.
Highlights
The Chanticleers struck first, taking a 1-0 edge off Nolan’s first score. Elon saw several opportunities stopped by Coastal in the first half before Godfrey netted her second goal of the season at the 14:16 mark to even the game. Nolan notched another goal for CCU with under two minutes remaining to make it a 2-1 Coastal lead at the break.
Just under five minutes into the second half the Chants’ Carr got the ball to Nolan to connect on their third goal of the day to make it a 3-1 game. Kessler posted her eighth score of the season on a free-position goal off a pass from Dupere with 22:16 on the clock before Coastal answered less than three minutes later with a fourth goal by Nolan to make it a 4-2 CCU advantage.
Coastal got two shots off in the final three minutes both of which were saved by Ramirez to keep the victory intact.
Next Up
The Phoenix continues a three-game road swing with its next game on Thursday, Feb. 25, in Durham, N.C., to take on No. 5 Duke. The game is set for 4 p.m. in Koskinen Stadium.