HARDEEVILLE, S.C.- The Ave Maria University lacrosse team commenced the 2020 season on Saturday morning, and did so against stiff competition - the three-time defending national champions from SCAD-Savannah, who are currently ranked number one in the nation. The Bees claimed a 19-5 victory over the visiting Gyrenes in the non-conference affair.
SCAD scored the first four goals of the match in the first four minutes, taking a lead they would not relinquish. Sydney Knego supplied three of the goals, while Harper Barth scored the other. Ave Maria then scored the next two goals, on tallies from Emma Davis and Aiyanah Simms. The Bees finished the half by scoring seven of the last eight goals, with seven different players adding to the scoring. An unassisted tally from Simms with 17:13 to play in the half was the lone AMU goal in the final 24 minutes.
The host Bees continued to control the game in the second half, scoring the first eight goals of the half to open up a 19-3 lead. Eight different players scored for SCAD, including repeat goals from the first half from Aly De Caro, Mackenzie Demott, Lily McCormick, Knego, and Mae Dougherty. The Gyrenes scored the final two goals of the morning, with Simms responsible for both in the final 3:11 of the contest.
Simms was the leader of the Ave Maria offense with four goals, while Davis was responsible for the other. All five AMU goals were unassisted. Nieve Macedo led the Gyrene defense with four ground balls, while Alexis Cirnigliaro and Alexa Keeler both logged three draw controls. Simms and Alexandra Chunchukov both had three ground balls and two caused turnovers in the losing effort.
For SCAD, Knego led all players with six points on four goals and two assists. De Caro, Demott, McCormick, and Dougherty all had two goals, and Jordan Mitchell led the Bees with three assists. In addition to Knego, Madeline Collins and Sophia Milia each added two assists to the team total. Grace Boyer had four ground balls for the Bees, and Knego controlled the action with eight draw controls.
Ave Maria's roadtrip continues on Sunday evening, when the Gyrenes take on Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia. Reinhardt is currently ranked fifth in the nation, and is one of nine teams in the NAIA Coaches' Poll, either in the top ten or the receiving votes category, on the AMU schedule. The opening draw is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
