WISE - - Abby Stoffelen scored a season-high five goals to lead UVA Wise (6-9, 3-6 SAC) to a 20-13 win over Tusculum (4-11, 1-8 SAC) in South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse action at Carl Smith Stadium on Thursday, April 24. The contest was the final home game of the season for the Cavaliers who finished the home portion of their schedule at 4-3 with the victory.

PIONEERS START STRONG

Tusculum scored three goals in the game's opening seven minutes as Natalie Dagley, Tia Tuiniga and Lucy Brewer all found the back of the net.

STOFFELEN GETS CAVS ON THE BOARD

Stoffelen scored her first goal of the day at the 7:41 mark of the first quarter to cut the deficit to two, in what was the start of a big day for the freshman.

HISTORIC GOAL

With 6:23 to play in the opening period, Katie Allen would get UVA Wise within a goal at 3-2. The goal was the 100th of Allen's career allowing her to join Jesse French, McKayla Grasham, and Kristin Gobbi in the program's 100-goal club.

SWAPPING GOALS

The schools would trade goals over the remainder of the first quarter and into the opening moments of the second period. During the stretch, Stoffelen scored a pair of goals for UVA Wise while Brewer and Jadyn Gleason scored for Tusculum.

UVA WISE RUN

A 6-to-0 scoring spurt by the hosts would catapult the Cavs to a 9-to-2 advantage in the second stanza. Stoffelen, Lauren Cole, Marolly Trimble and Grace Golatt would all score once during the stretch while Caroline Earnshaw scored twice to turn what was a two-goal deficit to a 10-6 advantage.

A Kamryn McNeil run would stop the bleeding for Tusculum before consecutive goals from Caroline Earnshaw and Stoffelen sent Meghan Dennehy's squad to intermission in front 12-7.

ALL SQUARE IN THE THIRD

Both teams scored four times in the third quarter, Golatt scoring twice for the Cavs with four different Pioneers scoring to send the game to the final 15 minutes with the home team in front 16-11.

TUSCULUM DRAWS NEAR

Emma Miller and Tuininga would score the opening goals of the fourth period to trim the lead to 16-13 with 7:18 remaining.

SHUTTING THE DOOR

UVA Wise finished the game by scoring the final four goals. Ashley Shannon scored to make it a 17-13 affair before Trimble essentially put the game out of reach with a goal off a Golatt assist at the 2:38 mark.

Allen scored her second goal of the game with less than two minutes to play before Golatt beat the buzzer with a free position goal to provide the final margin of 20-13.

BOX SCORE NUGGETS

UVA Wise outshot Tusculum 35-to-19 and forced 26 Pioneers turnovers.  Erin Smith led the defensive effort with six caused turnovers and six groundballs.

The Cavs also won the draw control battle, 22-to-15. Golatt (8) and Shannon (7) paced the effort with Trimble (4) and Stoffelen (3) also aiding the cause.

A total of six yellow cards were issued, three against each squad in what was UVA Wise's fifth consecutive win over Tusculum.

UP NEXT

UVA Wise closes out the regular season at Coker Saturday. First draw is slated for 11 a.m.