YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. (March 19) – Following an explosive first-half performance on Wednesday afternoon, the University of Mount Olive women's lacrosse program secured a 17-8 victory at Young Harris in Conference Carolinas action.
With the win, the Trojans collect back-to-back wins to improve to 3-6 overall with a 2-1 record in conference play. The two sides met for the first time since the 2024 Conference Carolinas Championship when UMO posted an 18-7 win to capture its fourth-straight league title. Meanwhile, the Mountain Lions fall to 5-5 this season behind a 0-1 mark while competing in their Conference Carolinas opener.
Junior
Alexa Fitzgerald scored a team-leading four goals while sophomore
Kayanna Bowden registered a four-point performance behind three goals and one assist with four ground balls. Fifth-year
Logan Hibbard totaled one goal, three assists, seven draw controls, two caused turnovers, and two ground balls. Junior
Maddy Fratus recorded a three-point game with one goal and two assists, while senior
Rileigh White finished with two goals, one assist, and two ground balls.
In the first quarter, Mount Olive scored a pair of goals in the initial 81 seconds of the contest with Fitzgerald and Hibbard both finding the back of the net. At the 10:37 mark, the Trojans capitalized on a man-up opportunity with freshman Reese Weedle scoring off an assist by Hibbard. The Mountain Lions cut into the deficit with a goal two minutes later to trail 3-1 before the Trojans registered two goals in the final seven minutes with Fratus and freshman Morghan Pollack each hitting the back of the net, 5-1. The Trojans recorded five unanswered goals in the initial 10 minutes of the second quarter, highlighted by Fitzgerald tallying two goals to cap a first-half hat trick, 10-1. Young Harris halted the run at the 3:24 mark of the quarter to close the gap to 10-2 before White scored in the final 34 seconds to take an 11-2 advantage into the break.
Mount Olive kicked off the third quarter with back-to-back goals by sophomore
Caroline Clark before Fitzgerald added her fourth goal of the contest to hold a 14-2 lead. The Mountain Lions registered a pair of goals in the final five minutes to head into the fourth trailing 14-4. Young Harris trimmed the deficit in the early portion of the quarter with consecutive goals before Bowden answered with back-to-back goals to regain a 10-goal lead. The Mountain Lions scored two of the final three goals, but Bowden notched her hat trick to seal the 17-8 win.
The Trojans featured all four goalkeepers in the contest, as senior
Anna James earned the win after recording three saves while playing 39-plus minutes. Sophomore Simone McGraw posted three caused turnovers and three ground balls.
UMO finished with a 33-23 shot advantage over YHC while holding a 14-12 edge in draw controls.
The Trojans continue their road trip on Saturday, March 22, when they face North Greenville at 11 a.m.
