JU Women’s lacrosse wraps up perfect NLC regular season with win over Presbyterian
Written by Lee Roggenburg on . Posted in Uncategorized.
Dolphins enter conference tournament as the top seed
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CLINTON, S.C. — Amanda Hurley scored six goals and Morgan Derner added five as the JU women’s lacrosse team defeated Presbyterian, 24-9, to clinch a perfect record in the National Lacrosse Conference on Saturday at Old Bailey Stadium in Clinton, S.C.
The Dolphins (12-4, 7-0) finished the regular season undefeated against the NLC and with an eight-game winning streak overall. JU entered the game having already won the league’s regular season championship. Head coach Mindy McCord’s team will be the top seed in the eight-team NLC Tournament starting April 29 on Davidson’s campus.
“We’re excited for the top seed and a regular season title, but we’re not satisfied,” McCord said. “Our goal remains to win the conference tournament and we’re happy to go in with momentum following a win against a skilled Presbyterian team.”
In just the second year of the program, the Dolphins have dominated conference opponents in earning the first regular season crown in school history. In seven NLC games, the Dolphins out-scored opponents, 139-51.
Against Presbyterian, JU scored 11 goals in the first half and 13 in the second half to crack the 20-goal plateau for the fifth time this season.
Derner finished with seven points and became the first player in JU history to score 40 goals in a season. The freshman attacker fell one point shy of tying her season high but will enter the postseason as JU’s leader in goals and points (52), setting Dolphin records for both despite missing two games due to illness.
Hurley was one of six JU players to score multiple goals against the Blue Hose. The sophomore attacker is now second on the team with 26 goals despite starting just two contests. Hurley will carry a five-game scoring streak into the postseason, racking up 16 goals during that stretch.
Fellow freshman Jen Cosgrove recorded her third consecutive hat track. The reigning NLC “Player of the Week” registered three goals against Presbyterian and has 10 in her last three games.
Presbyterian moved to within 7-4 almost 20 minutes in before JU went on a game-ending 17- 5 run. Kayleigh Hynes scored three goals while Ali Hoffman and Rachel Krell both added two goals to cap the blowout.
Derner, Hurley, Cosgrove and Ellyn Spangenberg have already scored 20 or more goals during the current campaign. JU’s offensive ability was again on display, as the Dolphins out-shot the Blue Hose, 39-23.