Riann Daziel scored the tying, go-ahead and game-winning goals as University of Mount Olive remained unbeaten with an 8-7 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University in non-conference women's lacrosse Wednesday at Amon Field. The junior attack finished with five goals to match her career high for the second straight game.
Mount Olive (3-0) trailed by a goal midway through the second half when Daziel tied the game with 14:19 left in the contest. The score remained tied until Daziel converted a free position shot to put the Trojans on top 7-6 with 5:59 remaining.
Daziel scored again on a play set up by Claire Wigler. Wigler eluded a defender after an extended possession and found Daziel open on the left wing. Daziel had an unabated path to the goal and gave the Trojans an 8-6 lead with 2:25 left.
The Trojan defense prevented a scoring opportunity when Alyssa Fox drew an offensive foul in front of the goal. Lenoir-Rhyne (0-1) did pull within a goal on Kelsie Swanson's free position shot with 1:16 remaining. But Wigler won the ensuing draw control and Mount Olive was able to run out the clock.
After the Trojans and the Bears combined for only four goals in the first half, the two teams scored four goals apiece during a span of less than 10 minutes in the second half. Lauren Donovan gave Lenoir-Rhyne its first lead of the game at 3-2 with 23:58 left to play.
The Trojans went back on top 4-3 with 20:27 remaining as Wigler and Kristen McGovern scored 16 seconds apart. McGovern scored directly off of winning a draw control. After Daziel answered a Lenoir-Rhyne goal, Kirsten Smith scored back-to-back goals for Lenoir-Rhyne to give the Bears a 6-5 lead with 15:19 remaining.
Mount Olive outshot Lenoir-Rhyne 15-6 in the first half, but had to settle for a 2-2 tie at the break. Riann Daziel scored the game's first goal six minutes into the contest and Kali Cook-Grisewood added a goal on a free position shot to give the Trojans a 2-0 lead with 14:29 remaining. Lenoir-Rhyne tied the game with goals in the final 10 minutes by Sarah Gioconda and Claire Wach.
Mount Olive returns to action Saturday as the Trojans travel to Due West, S.C., to take on Erskine in a Conference Carolinas match-up. Game time is 4 p.m.