ASHLAND, Va. – Randolph-Macon Women's Lacrosse faced a last-minute comeback bid by the Avenging Angels of Meredith; but it was the Yellow Jackets that held on for the win in a high-scoring affair Saturday afternoon.

The Basics

Score: Randolph-Macon 20, Meredith 18

Location/Venue: Ashland, Va./Day Field

Records: Randolph-Macon (2-1), Meredith (0-2)

How It Happened

• Randolph-Macon was able to start off on a nice run. The Yellow Jackets scored three in the first two-and-a-half minutes as it all got started with junior Bella Samper (Spring, Texas / Klein Oak). She grabbed the ground ball off a rebounded shot by junior Erin Mattone (Little Silver, N.J. / Red Bank Catholic) and sent it back to goal for the opening score. Off the next draw control, the Yellow Jackets were able to get the ball to Mary Castle (Annapolis, Md. / Annapolis), who nailed the second goal of the game. Junior Kendall Griffis (Cherry Hill, N.J. / Bishop Eustace) was able to cap the 3-0 run with a free position goal. But from there, Meredith was able to score four unanswered over the next six minutes to take the lead. That advantage would prove to be the only lead of the contest for Meredith despite a late comeback bid.
• Part of the reason for the need for such a comeback for the Avenging Angels was the seven minutes after Meredith's fourth goal at the 21:59 mark. R-MC scored six unanswered in that time. Castle started it all with another goal to kick the sequence off. Freshman Logan Schweiger (Church Hill, Md. / Queen Anne's County) scored her first collegiate career goal as part of the run as well. Sophomore McKenzie Hynson (Pasadena, Md. / Northeast) added two free position goals and assisted on a goal by junior Natalie Webster (Midlothian, Va. / Midlothian) in the middle of the sequence. Castle finished the mid-half scoring frenzy off as she started it – with a goal to put R-MC ahead 9-4.
• The Yellow Jackets scored three more times before the end of the half with Samper tallying two of the three and Mattone adding the third. Mattone also offered an assist on Samper's first goal of the sequence. The Avenging Angels scored four times in the final 13 minutes of the half, though R-MC had the 12-8 halftime advantage.
• Freshman Kayla Ross (Gambrills, Md. / Arundel) scored her first collegiate goal about a minute into the second period. She took an assisting pass from Hynson to open the half well for the Yellow Jackets. But Meredith got three straight goals from Lilia Cruz and got the tally back within two.
• R-MC responded with three goals from Castle, Hynson and Mattone before the 23:00 mark, adding to the led. Another 3-0 run through the middle of the frame helped seal the deal for R-MC as Scheweiger, Samper and Webster all added goals.  Castle finished R-MC's scoring at the 8:16 mark with a goal following an assisting pass from Mattone to put R-MC ahead 20-14.
• But the Angels proved that they would make one last strong attempt. Cruz scored three in a row from the 6:16 mark on and Meredith added one more before R-MC put the brakes on the scoring streak, thereby securing the win 20-18.

Inside The Numbers

• Outside of her three goals and two assists, Hynson collected 13 draw controls in a tremendous day for her at midfield.  Junior Taylor Sheppard (Queenstown, Md. / Queen Anne's County) also grabbed two draw controls.
• Castle led the team in scoring with five goals. Samper finished with four and Mattone added two goals and two assists.
• Senior Elicia Wells (Richmond, Va. / Trinity) played all 60 minutes in goal, earning the win. She nabbed 14 saves and picked up seven ground balls. Hynson also collected three ground balls with junior Sarah DiFazio (Johns Creek, Ga. / Pinecrest Academy) adding two ground balls.
• Hynson, Wells, Schweiger, Griffis and junior Katie Sheehan (Gambrills, Md. / Archbishop Spalding) all forced one turnover.
• The Yellow Jackets were 11-19 on free position shots, including 7-8 in the first half.
• R-MC showed strong discipline, collecting just 19 fouls to Meredith's 41.
• For the foes, Cruz finished with nine goals and two assists.

Up Next

The Yellow Jackets travel to nationally-ranked Mary Washington on Wednesday for a 3:45 PM contest.