Riann Daziel scored two goals and added two assists, but Mount Olive fell short in its first Conference Carolinas women's lacrosse tournament, 16-7 to Queens Tuesday night in Charlotte, N.C. With the loss in the quarterfinals, the Trojans conclude their first season with a 9-8 record.
The Trojans spent all night playing catch-up after falling behind early. Four different Royals found the back of the net in the first 8:28 for a 4-1 lead. Though Mount Olive came storming back to tie the game twice late in the first half, Queens never surrendered the lead.
Sixth-seeded Mount Olive got its second wind after surviving the early Royal outburst. Daziel got the rally started with a free position goal with 20:17 left in the half. Within a span of two minutes, Michelle Scannell and Heather Cockburn pulled the Trojans even 4-4.
Third-seeded Queens (9-9) re-established offensive mastery with a pair of goals by Arika Zimmerman and Brittany Barnwell -- the latter coming on a man-up opportunity.
Once again the Trojans picked themselves off the mat. Daziel and Cockburn scored unassisted goals to bring things back to even 6-6 with 5:54 left before intermission.
The momentum did not last. Queens again regained control, and this time, there was no coming back.
The Royals outscored Mount Olive 3-0 over the final 5:11, and held the Trojans to one marker the rest of the way.
After trading goals to start the second period, the Royals rattled off six unanswered goals to pull away. Three of Queen's tallies came in the final minute.
The Trojans were hampered by 17, second period turnovers, and just 4-of-12 successful clears after intermission.
Daziel and Cockburn finished with two goals apiece, while Scannell, Lyon and Sarah Fischer had one apiece. Cockburn added an assist.
On defense, Lyon and Sarah Snell finished with three groundballs apiece, while Caitlin Gore and Caley Breese had two apiece. Cockburn tied for game honors with three forced turnovers.
In goal for Mount Olive, Snell finished with 11 saves.