The Jacksonville women's lacrosse team earned its first win of the season in decisive fashion, dismantling the Davidson Wildcats 14-6 at Rock Stadium. The Dolphins set a new season bests for goals scored and fewest goals allowed.
The Dolphins (1-4) were led by junior defender
Maggie Cuddy. The Canadian defender caused five turnovers and grabbed six ground balls, wreaking havoc for the Davidson attack.
"Maggie is one of the best," JU head coach
Tara Singleton said. "When she stays true to herself, this is the performance that she can have."
Jacksonville's offense found new life, scoring its most goals in a game this season. Junior attacker
Ainsley Scruggs, in her first start of the season, scored her second hat trick in as many games, while also dishing out a pair of assists. Freshman attacker
Shae Hagans continued her excellent rookie campaign, finishing with a team high six points (4G, 2A). Behind the goal, junior attacker
Olivia Johnson saw her first significant playing time and she carved up the Davidson defense with four assists.
"[Scruggs and Johnson] had a skill set that we really needed to utilize, and they did it for their teammates and they did it together," Singleton said.
The Dolphins set the tone early. Cuddy forced a Wildcat turnover and pushed the ball in transition. Scruggs slipped a pass to Hagans who buried the first of the game. Just over two minutes later, sophomore midfielder
Julia Nicholson scored her first goal of the season to double Jacksonville's advantage. Nicholson scored again to make it three in a row for the Dolphins in the first quarter.
Davidson scored late in the first and early in the second to make it a one goal game. The second the game got close, Jacksonville put it away.
Hagans scored a quick pair to push the lead back to three, then the midfield got involved. Hagans turned playmaker to find sophomore midfielder
Ruby Lynch cutting to the crease for a finish. Then sophomore midfielder
Jessica Giller rumbled past the defense and slipped the ball past the goalie to score on a free-position shot. Scruggs buried her first of the game with 17 seconds left in the first half to cap off a dominant second quarter for the Dolphins.
Nursing an 8-2 lead at the break, Jacksonville delivered more of the same in the second half. Hagans added another, before Scruggs stepped in and rifled a high bouncer over the goalie's shoulder for JU's tenth goal of the game. Johnson scored her first of the season off a Hagans assist, and Nicholson completed her hat-trick to close the quarter off of a feed from Johnson at X.
Scruggs gave Jacksonville a 10-goal lead early in the fourth, before Davidson answered. Junior midfielder
Madison Plitt scored her first of the game to restore the 10-goal advantage off of a free-position shot. The Wildcats scored a pair of goals to close the game, but Jacksonville comfortably saw out its first win of the season.
Game Notes
- Cuddy's five caused turnovers are tied for third-most in a single game in program history. Her six ground balls are tied for ninth-most in a single game in program history.
- Scruggs has six goals and two assists in her last two games.
- Hagans is the first Dolphin to double-digit points this season. She has 12 through five games (9G, 3A).
- Jacksonville never trailed in the game, and led by multiple goals for 80% of the game.
- Junior goalie Brookelynn Hodgin made nine saves and allowed just six goals while picking up the first goalkeeping win of her career.
- Nicholson recorded the first hat-trick of her career (3G).
Head Coach Tara Singleton
"We've known that they're capable of a performance like this, and I think them putting the pieces together, feeling that they're capable of this, stringing really good plays together, stopping a run, if there was one, or if we had a turnover, we were able to get a stop and then put the ball on the back of the net on the other side, which is all you can ask for a team effort.
We asked all of them to come out and play with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder, not angry but with something to prove and to stay the course and stay together. And our kids did just that top to bottom."
Up Next
After a week off, the Dolphins will return to Rock Stadium to face the No. 17 Navy. Opening draw is set for noon on March 8th.
