Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Greensboro Pride (3-6, 3-3 USAS) used four-straight goals in the last eleven minutes of regulation to claim a 12-9 USA South Conference victory over the Brevard College Tornados Women's Lacrosse Team (6-5, 3-3 USAS) on Saturday afternoon.
Micaiah Vacchiano and Nicole O'Connor each recorded three goals apiece. O'Connor's three-goal performance marked a new career-high for the junior defender. Hunter Denney added two goals and an assist, while Hannah Scharf scored one goal for the Tornados.
Greensboro was anchored with a five-goal outing from Kara Whitson. Pride defender Elizabeth Carr snagged a game-high 10 ground balls.
All told, the Pride outshot the Tornados 37-22 on the afternoon. Greensboro held a 28-17 ground ball advantage, while the Tornados committed seven more turnovers (31-24) than the Pride. Greensboro held a slim 13-10 advantage on draw controls. BC converted 4-of-10 of its free position attempts, while Greensboro only was successful on 3-of-13.
Vacchiano opened the scoring up a little over a minute into the contest, scoring unassisted with 28:45 left in the first half. The Pride struck back with back-to-back goals before O'Connor's first-career goal tied the game, 2-2.
The Pride scored three-straight goals over a three-minute span to swell their lead to 5-2 with 11:21 left in the first stanza.
However, the Tornados answered back, catching fire with three unanswered goals of their own to knot the score, 5-5, at the halftime intermission.
BC and Greensboro opened the second half up by trading goals before the Pride mounted another three-goal run to retake the lead, 9-6, with 21:17 left to play.
The Tornados strung together a two-goal run of their own with goals from Denney and O'Connor to close the gap to 9-8 with 17:46 remaining.
However, the Pride scored the next three goals, extending their margin to 12-8 with just 5:10 left in the match.
Denney converted a power play free position shot at the 2:38 mark, cutting Greensboro's lead to 12-9, but it proved too late as the Pride pulled away with the victory.
BC is back in action tomorrow as it visits N.C. Wesleyan College (0-10, 0-4 USAS) in Rocky Mount, N.C. Action is set to get underway at 1 p.m.