Riann Daziel scored three of her five goals during a six-minute span early in the second half as Mount Olive rallied from a five-goal deficit for a 14-12 victory over Shorter in non-conference women's lacrosse Saturday at Amon Field. The win was the Trojans' third in a row and marked the team's biggest comeback.
Mount Olive (6-4) trailed 8-4 at halftime and Shorter (6-3) added a goal less than two minutes into the second half. Daziel, who scored the game's first goal, ignited the Trojans' comeback with a goal with 24:59 left to play. She followed with another goal with 20:36 remaining on an assist from Kara Lyon. Daziel scored again with 18:50 left to pull the Trojans within 9-7.
Alysha Kulka's goal with 16:37 remaining continued Mount Olive's scoring run and Lyon assisted on a goal by Heather Cockburn to tie game with 15:36 left. Michelle Scannell's goal with 14:20 remaining capped a 6-0 run and gave Mount Olive its first lead of the second half at 10-9.
Goals by Kulka and Alanna Bauche extended the Trojans' lead to 12-10, but Shorter rallied to tie the game 12-12 with 5:33 remaining after goals by Mia Wiggins and Bianca Rojas. Kulka's goal with 3:48 left put Mount Olive back on top to stay and Daziel added an insurance goal 15 seconds later.
Trojan goalkeeper Sarah Snell recorded eight saves as Mount Olive's defense held Shorter to four goals in the second half. Kulka finished with three goals for the Trojans, while Scannell and Sarah Fischer added two goals apiece. Lyon recorded four assists.
Rojas led Shorter with five goals, while Katie Ott added three goals.
Trojan head coach Grant Kelam was pleased with the win, but his and the team's thoughts were with the Seton Hill University women's lacrosse team, which was involved in a fatal bus crash Saturday on its way to a game. The crash killed the driver and the team's head coach, who was six months pregnant.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Seton Hill University family," said Kelam. "Our players plan to send cards to the team to let them know they're in our thoughts."
Mount Olive is idle until Saturday when the Trojans travel to Misenheimer, N.C., to take on nationally seventh-ranked Pfeiffer in a Conference Carolinas match-up. Game time is noon.