Lady Koala Lacrosse Scores 9 Goals in Terrific Showing against Montreat

COLUMBIA, SC - The Columbia College women's lacrosse team posted a solid effort in a 20-9 loss at home against conference foe Montreat College on Wednesday afternoon.

The Lady Koalas scored a season-high nine goals in the tough defeat while competing right with the Cavaliers in three of the four quarters. Columbia also totaled a season-high 25 ground balls and 26 shots.

Freshman attacker Taylor Gipson played her best game of the season scoring a season-high five goals with an assist on 12 shots and nine goal while picking up six ground balls to lead the team.

Montreat got out to a quick 3-0 lead before CC answered with back to back goals in the first quarter from senior attackers Aiyana Hightower and Cecilia Burke while junior defender Briana Huff also added a goal at the end of the quarter with the Koalas trailing by just two at 5-3.

However, the second quarter was a different story as MC outscored CC 8-0 to take charge of the game and lead 13-3 at the halftime break. The Koalas and Cavaliers then traded four goals apiece in the third quarter as Columbia got to within 8 points early in the third on consecutive goals from Gipson to trail 13-5. She would also add two more goals in the third quarter on assists from Burke and senior midfielder Abigail Sample while scoring her other two on free position shots as CC trailed 17-7 going into the fourth.

In the final quarter, Columbia got to within nine goals at the 8:50 mark on goals from Huff and Gipson but could get no closer as MC held on for the win. Freshman goalie Lillianna Imhof made 13 saves on 33 shots on goal while Montreat only led the shot count by a mark of 39-26 including the Koalas outshooting MC 8-7 in the third before tiring out in the fourth. Columbia also gathered more ground balls than Montreat by a count of 25-10.

Hightower and Huff added four ground balls apiece while Sample, Jasmine Williams, and Burke combined for six ground balls. Huff and Burke also caused four MC turnovers while senior midfielder Taylor Perry led the team with four draw control wins as well.

The Koalas fell to 0-4 in the conference while MC improved to 4-6 and 1-3 in the conference. Columbia will next remain home when they host TN Wesleyan next Wednesday at 3:00 pm.