No. 3 Seed Women's Lacrosse Score AAC Tournament Win Against No. 6 Seed Columbia

WALESKA, Ga.- The women's lacrosse team opened the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament with a resounding 28-2 win on Thursday. The third-seed in the tournament picked up the win against the sixth-seeded Columbia College Koalas. 

Back-to-back goals by Jozlyn Long and Olivia Downey helped the team take a 4-0 lead less than four minutes into the contest. Elizabeth Pluta made the score 5-0 before a Columbia score. Kate Buchanan, Aava Downey, and Long ended the quarter with goals, giving the team a 8-1 lead to start the second quarter. 

A second quarter that just saw the Lady Bulldogs score started with Pluta scoring. Heinrich pushed the team into double digits and a goal by O. Downey gave the team a double digit, 11-1 lead. America Barajas scored on a free position shot and the team ended the half with goals by Stephanie Rocha and Pluta, giving the team a 14-1 lead at halftime. 

Out of the halftime break, A. Downey (2), Long, and Pluta all scored, moving the team's lead to 18-1. Tennessee Wesleyan held a 20-2 lead at the end of the third quarter after goals by Kylie Heinrich and Buchanan.

The fourth quarter was another defensive shutout for the Lady Bulldogs. While the defense shutout the Koalas, the offense added eight more goals to their score, starting with back-to-back goals by Long. O. Downey scored on an assist from Jacie Bomar before Long scored her career-high seventh goal of the game. Hannah O'Daniel put a goal in the net wth 5:31 remaining in the game while Rocha, Barajas, and Buchanan all scored to give the team their 28th goal in the win. 

Along with seven goals from Long, Pluta and O. Downey each added four goals. Heinrich led the team with five assists. 

The win moves the team's record to 14-5 overall and to the semifinals of the tournament. The team will face No. 2 seed Reinhardt University on Friday at 3:00 p.m in the semifinals.