GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Lincoln Memorial University pulled away in the second half to take a 15-8 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference women’s lacrosse Wednesday evening at Pioneer Field.
The Railsplitters (7-6, 4-3 SAC) scored 11 second-half goals after leading 4-3 at halftime, and outshot the Pioneers (6-7, 2-5 SAC) by a 36-19 margin. Jaiden Jaynes and Amber Kirkpatrick had four goals apiece and Josie Tinnerello scored three times for the Railsplitters, with four assists from Breanna Booth.
Sophia Didzbalis led the Pioneers with two goals and Cassidy Bourne had a goal and two assists, with one goal each for Elisha Stack, Mya Halladay, Jessie Carolin-Vandenberg, Mackenzie Sherrod and Nina Tantillo.
Lincoln Memorial had a 4-1 lead midway through the second quarter before goals from Carolin-Vandenberg and Tantillo cut the Railsplitters’ edge to 4-3 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Jaynes scored three goals and Tinnerello added a pair of goals, while Didzbalis scored a pair of the Pioneers as Tusculum trailed 11-6 after three periods. Halladay and Sherrod scored in the fourth for the Pioneers around four goals from the Railsplitters, including two from Kirkpatrick.
Halladay led the Pioneers with five draw controls and Carolin-Vandenberg had three ground balls for Tusculum, while Samantha Billingsley paced the Railsplitters with nine draw controls.
Lincoln Memorial had an 18-8 advantage in draw controls and a 17-13 edge in ground balls, while Tusculum had 22 turnovers to 16 for the Railsplitters. The Pioneers were 21-for-25 on clear attempts and the Railsplitters finished 18-for-21 on clears.
Emily White had 13 saves in goal for the Pioneers, with Keegan Gillman making four saves for the Railsplitters. Tusculum also hit the post three times behind Gillman in the match.
The Pioneers visit Coker on Sunday, April 6 beginning at noon. The Cobras slipped to 5-9 overall and 1-7 in the SAC with a 23-6 loss at home to Newberry on Wednesday.
