No. 4 Seed Women's Lacrosse Win AAC Tournament Opener

WILLIAMSBURG, Ky.- The women's lacrosse team opened play in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament on Thursday. The team earned the fourth seed and beat the fifth-seeded Truett McConnell University Lady Bears in the quarterfinals.

For a majority of the game, the goals went back and forth between the teams. Truett McConnell scored the first two goals of the game. Tennessee Wesleyan responded with the next three goals. Olivia Downey, Jozlyn Long, and Kate Buchanan scored the goals to give the team a 3-2 lead. The opponents scored the final goal of the first quarter to tie the game 3-3.

The second quarter saw three total goals scored within 1:14 of each other. saw three goals scored. Shane scored with 4:38 remaining until halftime to break a defensive stalwart and push the team ahead by a goal. Long moved the team's lead to two goals a little over a minute later. Truett McConnell scored a goal 11 seconds later, making the score 5-4 at halftime. 

Out of the halftime break, the Lady Bulldogs saw the lead disappear as the opponents scored the opening two goals of the third quarter. TWU made the lead reappear by scoring six straight goals, starting with back-to-back goals by Olivia Downey to lead 7-6 at the end of the third quarter. 

Buchanan scored the next two goals to put the Lady Bulldogs up 9-6. Kylie Heinrich assisted on the final two goals of the game for Tennessee Wesleyan, connecting with Long and Downey to put the team up 11-6. The team held off a late run by the opponents, holding on to win the game 11-9.

Downey led the team with four goals to go along with three goals each by Long and Buchanan. Heinrich had four assists. Rylee Brendlinger finished with seven saves. 

The win moves the Lady Bulldogs (6-9) to the semifinals of the AAC Tournament. Tennessee Wesleyan will face the top seed in the tournament, Reinhardt University, on Friday at 11:00 a.m.