Buena Vista, VA - In a midday matchup, the Southern Virginia women's lacrosse team hosted the William Peace Pacers in a conference matchup. In dominant fashion, the Knights shut out the Pacers 18-0 in a commanding victory. The win marks Southern Virginia's fifth straight over the Pacers.
The Knights were on fire straight from the gun, scoring eight goals from five different players. Makenzie Mickelsen and Ellie Patterson set the pace just seconds into the game by scoring a goal each. Mia Richards followed suit with one of her own. The Knights didn't allow a single successful clear in the first quarter due to strong defense by Sydney Bastian who forced a couple turnovers.
Mickelsen controlled possession by winning five draws in the first quarter alone, while the latter half of the quarter saw Kenzie Poulson score back-to-back goals. Yazmin Manjarrez added to the fun with a goal to add to the lead.
With the game comfortably in their control, Southern Virginia slowed the pace down. Patterson stood out throughout the second quarter by scoring twice, assisting on another, and lending a hand in the defensive efforts alongside Mariela Perez, who was relentless on picking up ground balls throughout the night. The Knights ended the first half with a lead of 11-0.
Perez scored in the third quarter during a man-down situation, while still continuing the ground ball effort with help from Mickelsen and Bastian. Freshman Paysen Grandy, who had been firing shots all afternoon, would record two goals late in the game, thanks to a Mickelsen set-up. Grandy's goals would end the game with the Knights winning, 18-0.
Southern Virginia's defense smothered William Peace, allowing just three shots all game and only allowing a 16% success rate on clear attempts. On the flip side, Southern Virginia was perfect in their clears due to great ball movement, highlighted by a season high of eight assists with Mickelsen leading the way.
After securing an important conference victory, the Knights will take a break from league play by hosting the University of Lynchburg on Thursday, March 27th, at 4:00 PM at Knight Stadium.
For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, follow @knighwlax on Instagram or visit knightathletics.com for statistics.
