via JU press release/website, by Margaux Munick

BOX SCORE

Jacksonville, FL. – In a nail-biting overtime game, No. 2 Jacksonville women’s lacrosse secured its ninth ASUN Women’s Lacrosse Conference Championship with a 14-13 overtime win over No. 1 Liberty.

STAT LEADERS 

GOALS – Sarah Elms (5)
ASSISTS – Grace Hobson (3)
SAVES – Addy Tysdal (9)
DRAW CONTROLS – Molly Brock (11)

HOW IT HAPPENED 

In a historical turn of events, the ASUN Women’s Lacrosse Conference Championship headed into overtime for the second time ever. Brianna Samuels scored the game-winning goal for the Dolphins in the sudden-death overtime win.

Jacksonville and Liberty battled it out throughout the game; graduate student midfielder Molly Brock notched the first goal directly off the draw to hit the net in less than 20 seconds. Graduate student attacker Sarah Elms scored four goals in the first quarter to secure a 5-2 lead for Jacksonville. The Dolphins’ defense held Liberty to just two goals in the first quarter.  

Liberty came out in the second to go on a 7-2 run in an attempt to close the gap. In a man-down play, junior attacker Samuels received a pass through the 8-meter from Elms to score a short-handed goal for the Dolphins. Graduate student attacker Grace Hobson earned her first goal in Jacksonville’s second man-down offensive play, Samuels found Hobson behind the net to hit her with a pass, and Hobson rolled the crease to hit the net.

 The score at the half showed 9-7 Liberty. 

Entering the second half of play, both teams were neck and neck with each other, as the Flames tried to close the scoring gap and the Dolphins fought to continue its lead. 

Brock earned her second goal of the game off a free position, followed by Hobson, who tied the game at 9-9 at the top of the third. Graduate student attacker Lauren Craft had her first goal of the game to pull Jacksonville up 10-9. Liberty scored its only goal of the third to tie the game back up. Hobson earned herself a hat trick with an assist from sophomore midfielder Lauren Ellis. Samuels had the final scoring play of the quarter, gaining possession off a ground ball within the 8 meters to score her second goal with 15.5 on the clock. 

Elms scored her fifth and final goal of the game in the fourth as Liberty notched three goals to show the final score tied 13-13. 

“I felt really confident going into this game with this team, and I am just so proud of their fight and the result of this game,” said head coach Tara Singleton “I am thrilled.” 

ADDITIONAL INFO

• Grace Hobson set a record of 47 assists in a single season 
• This is only the second time in history that the ASUN Women’s Lacrosse Conference Championship has gone into overtime. 
• Jacksonville had four different multi-goal scorers: Sarah Elms, Molly Brock, Grace Hobson, and Brianna Samuels. 
• Jacksonville receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. 

UP NEXT 

Jacksonville receives an automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship, which begins later this month.