WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University lacrosse team had one of their best showings against a national powerhouse in recent memory Friday evening, as the Gyrenes battled the No. 3 Seahawks of Keiser University in West Palm Beach. Ave Maria hit double digits in goals against Keiser, the 2021 NAIA national champions, for the first time since the 2018 season on Friday despite dropping a 23-12 decision.

Keiser surged out of the gate, as five different players scored in the first quarter and the Seahawks jumped out to a 6-0 lead. The Gyrenes finally got on the board in the closing moments of the opening frame, as Monrae Prentice found the back of the net with 14 seconds left in the quarter.

Ave Maria played the Seahawks essentially even in the second quarter, with Keiser only able to extend their lead by one goal. Emma Davis was a busy Gyrene in the second, assisting on both of Hannah Shaffrey's goals then scoring her first of the day. Orianna Eldridge added AMU's final goal of the half, a tally assisted by Claire Ichniowski that accounted for an 11-5 Keiser lead at halftime. 

Once again, a Keiser surge opened the lead back up, as four Seahawk goals in the first eight minutes of the second half increased the KU edge to 15-5. Ave Maria answered by scoring three of the final four goals in the quarter, including two from freshman Abigail Seiler. Eldridge also added her second goal of the day during the frame, scoring on a Shaffrey assist that built on her existing school record.

Eldridge and Davis accounted for much of Ave Maria's offense in the fourth quarter, as the Gyrenes scored four times in the final 15 minutes. Eldridge had a hat trick of goals in the fourth quarter alone, while Davis scored once and assisted on both of Eldridge's last two goals. Ichniowski added her second assist of the day on Eldridge's first tally. Keiser scored seven in the final quarter to stymie any Gyrene chance at a comeback. 

Davis tied a school record in the losing effort, becoming just the fourth player in school history to record four assists in a single game. Mackenzie Tourville set the initial record in 2016, and Shaffrey has done so twice this season, in games against Webber and Culver-Stockton. 

Powered by her fourth quarter hat trick, Eldridge led the Gyrene scoring with five goals, while also causing five turnovers. Seiler added ten draw controls to go with her two goals. Hannah McConologue also set a new school record with ten ground balls in a single game, doing so while making nine saves from the goalkeeper position. 

Friday's game was Ave Maria's final road game of the season, with the final three games coming at Gyrene Field. The first of these games comes Wednesday evening, when the Gyrenes welcome the Warriors of Webber International University to Ave Maria. Opening draw at Gyrene Field is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.