GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Brevard College women's lacrosse team (4-1) used a strong second-half performance to defeat Guilford College (0-4) 16-11 on Wednesday afternoon in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The Tornados are off to their best start to a season in program history as BC improves their record to 4-1 through five games.
Freshman attacker Paige Kneubuhler posted a career performance, as the first-year Tornado from Evansville, Indiana, scored five goals and added two assists for seven points with five ground balls, three draw controls, and two caused turnovers. Sophomore midfielder Emily Denaga added four goals and two assists while winning nine draws. Xan Hill, Autumn Kraemer, and Parker Moore all scored two goals apiece, while Nicole Volk also got on the scoresheet. Lex MacLauchlin (4-1) stopped 10 shots for the Tornados.
Maggie Bryson and Sydne Sawyer led the Quakers with three goals, while Kylie Horn added two goals and an assist.
Guilford opened up a 3-1 lead in a back-and-forth first half for both sides. The Tornados answered with three straight goals before the Quakers answered, holding a 6-5 edge through a high-scoring first period of action.
Moore hit a free-position shot to open the scoring in the second stanza of action, while Denaga found the back of the net twice to give BC an 8-7 lead with 6:15 left in the first half. Guilford scored twice in a row before Kneubuhler hit an unassisted goal with 1:27 left in the second quarter as the two sides went into the second half deadlocked at 9-9.
Brevard was able to establish itself in the third quarter, outscoring the hosts 5-1 to take a 14-10 lead that it would not relinquish. Denaga, Hill, Kneubuhler, and Kraemer all scored as the Tornados entered the final period up by four.
BC's defense allowed just one goal in a low-scoring fourth period to help clinch the 16-11 triumph for the Tornados.
Brevard held a 41-31 shooting edge and went 16-for-21 on clear attempts, while the Tornados made 10 saves and won the turnover battle 19-12.
BC's 4-1 start is the program's best in its nine-year history, beating the previous program-best start of 4-2 that it reached in the 2015-16 campaign.
The Tornados open up USA South Conference play at Ives-Lemel Family Field on Tuesday, March 14 as Brevard faces Meredith College, with the first draw set for 2 p.m.
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-BC-