Appleton, WI – Through rain, shine, and even a lightning delay, the Aquinas women's lacrosse team battled through the elements to pick up its second win of the season after a stretch of hard-fought losses. The Saints stayed patient and resilient throughout the contest, eventually securing a 10-6 victory over the Lawrence Vikings. From the opening draw, Aquinas showed confidence and determination as the Saints worked their way to a well-earned win.

Aquinas 10, Lawrence 6

The Saints controlled the opening draw as Maizie Holmes secured possession for Aquinas. AQ generated strong offensive pressure early, firing off six shots in the first quarter, but the Vikings' goalkeeper came up with several saves to keep the game scoreless. Addison Munn eventually broke through with a free-position goal to give Aquinas a 1-0 lead. Sophia Davis followed with a free-position score of her own before Holmes added another goal to close out the opening quarter with the Saints leading 3-0.

Davis opened the second quarter with another free-position goal before Holmes delivered a perfect pass to Davis for her third goal of the night, completing the hat trick and pushing the lead to 5-0. Lawrence managed to get on the board, but Violet Mead quickly responded with a goal to restore the five-goal advantage at 6-1. The Vikings found some momentum late in the quarter, scoring two goals before halftime as the Saints carried a 6-3 lead into the break.

Aquinas came out energized in the third quarter as Davis netted her fourth goal of the night. Lawrence capitalized on a man-up opportunity to cut the deficit to 7-4, but Davis continued her standout performance, scoring again during a man-down situation to give the Saints an 8-4 lead heading into the final period.

Lawrence attempted to shift the momentum early in the fourth quarter with a goal, but Davis answered once again to keep Aquinas in control. The Vikings added another late score, but Holmes sealed the victory with a goal off an assist from Ayiana Pansang-Rangel as the Saints secured the 10-6 win.

Coaches Comments

"I'm really proud of the way our team competed tonight. They stayed disciplined, trusted each other, and played with a lot of heart from start to finish." said head coach Marvin Hardy. "We've been working hard to keep improving every game, and it was great to see that effort translate into a full team win. This is a young group that continues to grow and learn, and tonight was a big step forward for us."

"We came out strong, had a bit of a slower second half, but managed to hold the lead and put a good one by them in the last few seconds. I'm so proud of all my babies!" said junior captain Vanessa Bailey 

By the Numbers

• Sophia Davis delivered a huge offensive performance, recording a double hat trick with six goals to lead the Saints.

• Ayiana Pansang-Rangel recorded the lone assist of the night for Aquinas.

• Davis also led the Saints with five ground balls, while Maizie Holmes and Pansang-Rangel each collected three.

• Holmes and Davis controlled the draw circle, tallying three draw controls apiece.

• Defensively, Audrianna Lienhart and Davis each caused three turnovers, while Holmes added two. Vanessa Bailey, Lucy Dusseau-Thompson, and Violet Meed each recorded one caused turnover.

• Emersyn Gaitan recorded her second win for the season

Up Next

The Saints will take time to celebrate the hard-earned victory before returning to Indiana on March 14 to take on Marian at 2:00 p.m.