BUENA VISTA, VA. — Southern Virginia University's women's lacrosse team secured a convincing 20-11 victory over Methodist University in both teams' conference opener Saturday afternoon. The game, which took place at the Knights' home ground, saw both teams put on a fantastic display of skill and determination, but it was the home team that emerged victorious.

Methodist took an early lead in the first quarter with a series of quick goals by Payton Jones, Kayla Nee, and Mikayla Ramos. However, Southern Virginia responded with goals from Tyler John and Kate Richards to reduce the deficit. Despite this, the Monarchs continued to dominate the first quarter and ended it with a 7-4 lead.

The Knights came back strongly in the second quarter, with Alissa Johnson scoring two quick goals to bring the score to 7-6. Johnson then assisted another goal by Kate Richards to level the score at 7-7. However, Methodist continued to fight back and regained their lead with another goal by Mikayla Ramos.

In the third quarter, Southern Virginia took control of the game with some excellent attacking play. Tyler John scored two goals and Alissa Johnson added two more to take the lead at 11-8. Piper Searle and Addison England also added a goal each to extend the lead to 13-9. Methodist tried to stage a comeback with goals by Kennedy Martin and Payton Jones, but the Knights maintained their lead throughout the quarter and ended it with a score of 16-10.

In the final quarter, Southern Virginia continued their dominant play, with Piper Searle scoring two goals and Tyler John adding another. Rylee Webster also scored a goal to extend the lead to 20-11. Despite some late attempts by the Monarchs, the Knights held on to their lead and emerged victorious in the match.

Overall, it was a fantastic performance from Southern Virginia, with  Johnson recording a season-high six goals while John added five. Kate Richards also played a crucial role, providing four assists and scoring three goals. Methodist put in a good effort, but Southern Virginia's clinical finishing proved too much for them to handle.

The Knights will now look to build on this impressive victory as they prepare for their next game against Bridgewater College, scheduled for Wednesday, March 22, at 4 pm. 

For the most up-to-date details and information on the team, visit knightathletics.com for live stats and streaming options, and follow the team on Instagram @knightwlax.