Buena Vista, Va - In a spirited non-conference battle, the Southern Virginia women's lacrosse team faced off with the Eagles of Bridgewater College, ultimately falling by a score of 12-9. The matchup was one of the more anticipated non-conference games on the Knights' schedule given the competitive results in their previous encounters.
In what has become a recurring theme for the Knights this season, Piper Searle got her team off to a quick start by scoring on what has become her patented fade away shot just 49 seconds after the opening draw. The Eagles, who were looking to bounce back after a loss to conference foe Lynchburg last Thursday, were determined to thwart the Knights attack the rest of the quarter. By dominating in possession, Bridgewater managed to tilt the field towards Southern Virginia goalkeeper, Madison Sorenson, and scored two goals to grab hold of the lead.
Much of the first quarter turned into a stalemate as Sorenson made a couple of key saves to keep the deficit at one. Sorenson had a stellar day in goal and finished with 11 total saves.
Defense would take a backseat during the second quarter as the goals began to pile up. After facing an early deficit of 4-1, the Knights fought back by scoring three consecutive times to knot things at 4-4. Kiah Baisden showcased her speed and agility by scoring two of those goals to carry the Knights in offensive production. Much of the big run can be credited to Addison England who was a force on draws. England along with Kiah Baisden helped their teammates control four consecutive draws to ignite the comeback.
Bridgewater would counter with four goals of their own and retake control of the game with an 8-5 lead before the halftime break.
The second half featured a lot of back and forth play, each team having their fair share of opportunities. The Knights were the ones with the early jump by pouncing on loose balls and making clears difficult for the Eagles. They were rewarded with the first goal of the half, but despite various other chances, the Knights were unable to get any closer than two goals the rest of the way. Bridgewater goalkeeper Rachael Robinson got better and better as the game went on and stymied the Knights attack for most of the fourth quarter in leading her team to a 12-9 victory.
Southern Virginia managed to dominate in draw controls, finishing with 16 compared to the Eagles' 8. Mariela Perez and her defensive partners were very noticeable in front of their net, disrupting several scoring chances to keep the Knights within striking distance. Ellie Patterson and Baylee Bruce also played vital roles in clearances and provided many quality stretch passes for their attackers.
Southern Virginia will have just two days to recuperate before their next matchup against Meredith College. The two conference juggernauts will battle in Raleigh on Saturday, March 30th at 12:00 PM.
For the most up-to-date details and information on the team, follow @knightwlax on instagram or visit knightathletics.com for streaming options and live stats.
