Anderson Advances Past Spalding to HCLC Championship

The second-seeded Anderson University women's lacrosse team advanced past third-seeded Spalding University with a 15-12 victory during Wednesday's Heartland Collegiate Lacrosse Conference (HCLC) semifinal at Macholtz Stadium.

Both teams went back and forth in the first quarter as they closed the quarter knotted at 4-4 with neither team taking a multi-goal lead.

During the second quarter, Caitlin Stewart and Nicole Patton netted goals to put Anderson (8-7) ahead 6-4. After Taylor Young trimmed Spalding's deficit to one, Emma Sego and Riley Tull added goals as Anderson led Spalding (5-10) by a score of 8-5 at halftime.

The Eagles came out charging in the third quarter as Mahalia Dominguez and Emma Beach each netted goals to trim the lead to one. After Tull bumped Anderson's lead to two, Beach and Kathryn Moore contributed goals to tie the game at 9-9 with 7 minutes, 22 seconds to go. The remainder of the third quarter looked like the first quarter and the two teams were locked at 11-all after three quarters.

Spalding received a non-releasable yellow card with 11:45 left in the fourth quarter. The Ravens capitalized on the opportunity Lauren Brown and Sego recorded goals. Katte Escobar helped seal the game with two fourth-quarter insurance goals.

"It was a thrilling victory for our team in the semifinal of the HCLC Tournament," Coach Russell Mackey said. "It was truly a testament to the resilience of our players. Despite facing numerous challenges, from the exhaustion brought on by exams to the adversity of player injuries, our team showed incredible grit and tenacity. Exams are always a demanding time for student-athletes and it's commendable how our players were able to balance their academic responsibilities with their athletic commitments. The mental and physical toll of exams could have easily derailed our focus, but instead, seemed to fuel our determination and success on the field. Injuries are an unfortunate part of any sport and it's never easy to see a quality player sidelined, especially in such a crucial game. Despite missing key players due to injury, our team rallied together and rose to the occasion. Facing off against a well-prepared Spalding University team, we knew it would be a hard-fought battle. Our players dug deep, drawing on the inner strength and unity to overcome the challenges and secure a hard-earned victory. It's moments like these that define a team and showcase the true heart of our players."

Anderson cleared 15-of-17 (88.2 percent) attempts while Spalding finished 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) clears. The Ravens held a 19-12 advantage in draw controls.

Sego filled the stat sheet for the Ravens with five goals, one assist, six points, 10 draw controls, three caused turnovers and four ground balls. She also recorded her 100th career goal in the match. Escobar posted three goals. Tull tallied two goals, one assist, three points, two caused turnovers and five ground balls. Caitlin Stewart contributed two goals while Brown added a goal and an assist. Nicole Patton and Avery Jarosinski each scored goals while Priscilla Sandoval and Lillie Casey each caused turnovers. Kiki Jose collected four ground balls and saved 6-of-18 (33.3 percent) shots.

Anderson clashes with top-seeded Transylvania University (7-7) in the HCLC Championship game in Lexington, Ky. on Friday at 7 p.m.