RUWLAX Defeats SCAD 18-8 and Moves Onto the NAIA National Championship!!

Savannah, Ga. – [Final Site Schedule] [Bracket] The 2024 NAIA Women's Lacrosse National Championship continued today with semifinal action at Memorial Stadium in Savannah, Ga. as four teams looked to secure a win today for a chance at the coveted red banner on Saturday. Top-seeded Reinhardt took care of business to open the day with a dominant 18-8 win over SCAD Savannah (Ga.). In game two, Cumberlands (Ky.) was off to a hot start; but the physicality of play from Lawrence Tech (Mich.) worked out in their favor down the stretch as the Blue Devils are back in the championship match once again looking to claim yet another national championship title.

GAME NOTES/HIGHLIGHTS

No. 1 Reinhardt (Ga.) def. No. 4 SCAD Savannah (Ga.), 18-8

• After a five-goal start to the game from four different Reinhardt players, the Bees got on the board for the first time with 4:19 to play in the first from Clarke Haas.
• RU answered with 2:50 to play in the opening quarter with their sixth goal of the game and Kelsey Sowa's second in the match.
• SCAD continued to battle late into the first quarter as Haas picked up her second and team's second goal of the game to trail by four with a minute and 24 seconds still on the clock.
• The Bees came out quick in the second quarter with just their third and fourth goals of the game from a free position shot by Ainsley Jones, and a close-range shot from McKinsey Brown as they trailed by only two just 46 seconds into the second.
• After Reinhardt's first timeout of the half, they sent three shots on goal, one of which was a free position shot and forced Madison Hasty to come up with the reaction save, to keep the Bees margin at two.
• Reinhardt picked up their seventh goal of the half as Gazzo earned the free position shot opportunity and was able to convert.
• On the restart, SCAD won the draw, a ground ball, and then proceeded to cap off the possession with less than ten seconds on the shot clock with a goal from Annise Berkeley for a 7-5 game. 48 seconds later, McKinsey Brown grabbed a goal of her own, to cut the margin even further with 6:12 to play as they trailed by only one.
• Then it wasn't long before the game was tied at seven. After the free possession shot was wide, SCAD retained possession to sneak a shot past the Eagles goalkeeper with 5:07 to play in the half.
• Macy Fulton got Reinhardt on the board first to start the second half for her ninth goal this season and the ninth goal for the Eagles in this game with 11:13 to play.
• RU continued to extend their lead in the third quarter, with another goal out of the stick of Mia Griswold, then Fulton to push the margin to 11-7 with 6:08 to play in the third, forcing the Bees to call their first timeout.
• Hasty continued to stand tall between the sticks as the third quarter reached 3:15 to play after SCAD picked up the ground ball and fired a shot just two yards out, as she picked up her 12th save of the match.
• The save on the defensive end, turned into a transition as the Eagles pushed the field and found Shelby O'Neil for the 12th goal of the match and the five-goal lead.
• After a five-goal performance from RU in the third, they held the Bees scoreless for a 13-7 advantage.
• RU tallied five goals in the third quarter and two more in the fourth before SCAD found their first of the second half with 6:13 to play in the game.
• The Eagles answered with their 16th of the game and Jilliam Mello's fourth of the match to lead 16-8 with 5:14 to play.
• RU added two more goals late in the final two minutes of play, for the 18-8 victory over SCAD to punch their ticket to championship Saturday.

The Eagles will be playing Lawerence Tech on Saturday, May 4th, at 1pm ET for the NAIA National Title.

https://naia.prestosports.com/sports/wlax/2023-24/Releases/Semifinal_Recap