AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University lacrosse team ran their winning streak to four, and started Sun Conference play 1-0 with an 18-4 thumping of the Warner University Royals Saturday evening at Gyrene Field. The game was never in doubt, with Ave Maria taking a lead they would not relinquish 18 seconds into the game, and putting the running clock on the Royals before halftime. Before the contest, AMU honored its senior class as part of Senior Day festivities.

A goal from Lily Hynds less than 20 seconds into the contest gave Ave Maria the lead, and set the tone for the contest. After the teams traded goals to make the score 2-1, the Gyrenes ripped off ten consecutive goals, a stretch that spanned into the early moments of the third quarter. Ave Maria's eleven first half goals came in an incredibly balanced fashion, with Lily Hynds, Alexandra Mazurczak, Hannah Shaffrey, Orianna Eldridge, and Abigail Seiler all scoring twice.

The scoring slowed in the second half, as would be expected with the clock running for the entirety of the third and fourth quarters. AMU scored three goals in the third and four more in the fourth, while Warner scored three of their four goals on the day in the final 30 minutes. The freshman did the majority of the scoring in the second half, with both Hynds and Mazurczak scoring twice to lead the way for Ave Maria.

Hynds and Mazurczak led Ave Maria's scoring in the victory, with both freshmen finishing with four total goals. A pair of juniors joined the freshman with four points, as Shaffrey ended with three goals and an assist, while Seiler chipped in two goals and two assists. Seiler was also active on defense with four ground balls and four caused turnovers, as well as three draw controls.

Monrae Prentice was a defensive stalwart for the Gyrenes, logging four caused turnovers and two ground balls. Hynds also played well on the defensive side of the field, logging four ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers. In goal, Emily Durr and Hannah McConologue split duties, with the goalies combining for three saves.

Winners of four consecutive games, Ave Maria will now play three consecutive top ten teams, all of which are Sun Conference foes. The first of these comes Wednesday afternoon, as Ave Maria takes on fourth-ranked SCAD-Savannah. Opening draw of that contest, the last before Easter, is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Hardeeville, South Carolina.