Brevard, N.C. - In an impressive blowout against Brevard on Saturday afternoon, two individuals on the Southern Virginia University women's lacrosse team stole the spotlight. Kenzie Poulsen and Makenzie Mickelsen scored a combined 14 goals, personally giving the Tornados no chance in a 20-5 victory.
Mickelsen electrified the team minutes into the game, turning in back-to-back goals to jumpstart the offense. Poulsen followed suit, kicking off her record night with a goal after a setup from Ellie Patterson. Patterson contributed to the onslaught with tow of her own during the first quarter.
Although the Tornados fought back with two goals to close the gap briefly, but that was the closest they'd get the rest of the afternoon. Southern Virginia responded by regaining full control thanks to Mickelsen collecting several draw controls during the period.
The scoring slowed down in the second quarter, though the Knights maintained their high shot volume. Mickelsen and Poulsen eventually added to the lead and were able to contribute a few goals while strong defensive efforts kept Brevard in check. Sydney Bastian led the way, forcing several turnovers and teaming up with Mariela Perez to dominate in ground balls throughout the game. The teams headed to the locker room with Southern Virginia leading comfortably, 9-3.
The second half saw history repeat itself when Patterson scored back-to-back goals for the Knights again, as well as winning multiple draw controls to keep the Tornados on their heels. Poulsen delivered a fourth-quarter masterclass, scoring four goals in the period with Bastian assisting on several. With seconds left in the game, Aubrey Reynolds laid the icing on the cake with the team's twentieth goal.
With her eight-goal performance, Poulsen now shares the record with former Knight Alyssa Johnson for the most goals scored in one game in program history. Poulsen also leads the conference in shot attempts in a single game, proving to be a offensive force not to be reckoned with. Mickelsen joins Poulsen in the top three for most goals scored in a game this season and now holds second place in total draw controls across the conference.
With the victory, the Knights moved into fourth place in conference standings. They will play their last regular season game at home on Saturday, April 19th, at 11:00 AM, as they host Huntingdon College on Senior Day.
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.
