Mount Olive, N.C. – The University of Mount Olive women's lacrosse team captured the Conference Carolinas regular season title and the top seed in the 2017 Conference Carolinas Tournament with an 8-7 victory over Belmont Abbey College on Saturday afternoon at the McDonald Complex in Mount Olive, N.C.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 8, Belmont Abbey 7
Records: Mount Olive (11-6, 9-1 CC), Belmont Abbey (9-7, 8-2 CC)
Location: Ray McDonald, Sr. Track and Field/Lacrosse Complex, Mount Olive, N.C.
How It Happened
Play-by-Play
FIRST HALF
- Senior Kali Cook-Grisewood put the Trojans on the board first with a goal assisted by junior Michael Ciciarelli just 2:36 into the contest.
- Belmont Abbey tied the game at one with a goal just over four minutes later.
- Ciciarelli scored her first goal at 21:18 to push UMO back in front 2-1.
- The Crusaders responded with four unanswered goals, two on free position shots, that provided Belmont Abbey with a 5-2 lead with 4:42 left in the opening half.
- The Trojans scored a much-needed goal just before the horn as UMO capitalized on a turnover, sprinting down the field, as senior Saffron Snethen scored with three seconds left in the half off an assist by Cook-Grisewood.
SECOND HALF
- The first ten minutes of the second half passed by without any goals as Belmont Abbey continued to hold a 5-3 lead.
- Cook-Grisewood tied the game at five for the Trojans with back-to-back goals, both assisted by freshman Jackie Kaderabek, separated by just 1:42 with 18:09 left to play.
- Snethen gave UMO its first lead since the opening ten minutes of the game as the senior scored off an assist from freshman Kelly Young with 12:55 remaining on the clock.
- The Trojans increased their lead to three following goals by Ciciarelli and Kaderabek with just 1:41 left in the contest.
- Belmont Abbey was not done as the Crusaders scored twice in a span of 14 seconds to cut their deficit to just one at 8-7 with 50 seconds remaining.
- The Crusaders had a chance to tie the game with 16 seconds left, but senior Alyssa Fox jarred the ball loose and controlled it as the Trojans ran out the clock for the 8-7 victory.
KEY STATS
- Cook-Grisewood led the Trojans with a hat trick.
- Also recording multiple goals for UMO were Ciciarelli and Snethen with a pair of goals each.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Samantha Thomson (W: 9-4) dominated the second half, getting the victory while making six saves on 13 shots.
- While Belmont Abbey earned 11 free position shots to just five for UMO, the Trojans outshot the Crusaders overall, 24-21.
COACH'S COMMENTS
- "I'm honored to coach these young women who have worked hard all season so that we ended up in a position to earn the #1 seed for the conference tournament." – UMO women's lacrosse head coach Grant Kelam.
UP NEXT
Mount Olive earns the top seed and first-round round bye in the 2017 Conference Carolinas Women's Lacrosse Tournament. The Trojans will compete in the semifinals of the conference tournament hosted by North Greenville University on April 28 at 4 p.m. in Tigerville, S.C.