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Lacrosse Shatters Records in SUN Opener

via Ave Maria press release/website

BOX SCORE

AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University lacrosse team completely rewrote the school record books on Saturday, posting the school’s most prolific offensive performance ever in a 22-2 victory over the St. Thomas University Bobcats at Gyrene Field. The Gyrenes broke single game school records for goals, assists, points, and draw controls in the Sun Conference opponent, as well as the largest margin of victory in program history. 

Ave Maria asserted their dominance early on, scoring three goals in the first five minutes and racking up eight goals total in the first quarter. Seiler led this AMU assault, scoring four goals and assisting on two more in the opening 15 minutes of play. St. Thomas scored two goals of their own, including one with 20 seconds to play in the half, to send the match to the second quarter with an 8-2 score.

From there, the match tipped even further in the direction of the Gyrenes. After St. Thomas’ goal in the closing seconds of the first quarter, Ave Maria outscored STU 14-0 in the final 45 minutes of the match. AMU scored five more goals before the buzzer sounded for halftime, with Seiler and Shaffrey both finding the back of the net twice.

With college lacrosse’s running clock rule enacted, the Gyrenes scored nine more goals in the second half while still keeping the Bobcats off the scoreboard. Four of those nine goals came in the third quarter, with two coming off the stick of Monrae Prentice. 

The Gyrenes closed the monumental blowout with five more goals in the match’s final 15 minutes. Eldridge added the last two of her four goals, while Claire Ichniowski, Allison Fifield, and Seiler all had goals of their own. Hannah Shaffrey assisted on three straight goals in the final frame, pushing her to a historic day. 

Hannah Shaffrey set two new program records in the win, which saw the sophomore score four goals and assist on six more. Shaffrey’s six assists in a single match broke her own school record set last season, and her ten total points broke Emma Davis’ single-match school record, set in 2021. Seiler was right behind Shaffrey with seven goals and two assists, while Eldridge scored four goals and grabbed eleven draw controls, one short of another school record.

Eldridge was also a defensive leader for the Gyrenes, scooping five ground balls and causing three turnovers. Kylie Tittinger chipped in with three caused turnovers and three ground balls, while goalkeepers Emily Durr and Hannah McConologue combined to keep St. Thomas off the board for the final 45 minutes.

Next week’s schedule is an important one for the Gyrenes, who will face two of the nation’s top 12 teams at Gyrene Field. The week begins with a matchup Monday against the Bees of Saint Ambrose University from Iowa, who were receiving votes in the newest NAIA Coaches’ Poll. AMU will then look for their first win ever against No. 10 SCAD on Thursday.

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