BREVARD, N.C. – Senior Grace Vaught and freshman Arianna Casertano found the back of the net in the fourth quarter while the Brevard College women's lacrosse team (1-1) shut out Eastern Mennonite University (1-1) in the final 15 minutes of play to earn a one-goal victory, 12-11, on Saturday at Ives-Lemel Family Field in BC's home opener.
 
The day was highlighted by Emily Denaga, who scored her 100^th career goal, while BC Head Coach Roya Tahmassebi earned her first career victory as a collegiate head coach.
 
 Four different Tornados had hat tricks in the matchup, with Denaga and Casertano recording three goals and an assist for four points each. Xan Hill and Vaught each logged three goals apiece, while freshman Kelsey Hamrick distributed a team-high two assists and Sofia Hardin also recorded an assist. Junior defender Lex MacLauchlin racked up a team-high seven ground balls and caused five turnovers, while Grace Blanton added six ground balls and two caused turnovers defensively. Denaga and Hall each won six draw controls, while Amelia Fuentes and Kyla Smith-Fondall each saw action in goal for the Tornados, with Fuentes earning the win while making seven saves.
 
Eastern Mennonite's Courtney Crawford racked up a game-high nine points on four goals and five assists to pace the Royal offense with two free-position shots. Amber Bonds won six draw controls, Angel Hines grabbed seven ground balls, and the duo each caused three turnovers apiece.
 
Brevard slightly outshot the visitors, 27-25, and forced the Royals into 29 turnovers. The Royals went 18-for-21 on clear attempts compared to a 19-for-27 performance from the Tornados. BC won one more draw control and grabbed one more ground ball than Eastern Mennonite, and the Tornados converted 5-of-9 free-position shots with EMU going 3-for-6.
 
BC built a two-goal lead, 4-2, after the first quarter, and maintained a two-goal edge 6-4 before EMU answered back with two goals to tie things with five minutes left in the second quarter. Brevard ended the first half of action on a 3-0 scoring run to take a 9-6 lead into halftime.
 
Eastern Mennonite came out of the intermission with five goals in the third quarter, including a Crawford score with 11 seconds left in the period that gave the Royals their first lead of the day, 11-10. Following eight minutes of scoreless action, Vaught found the back of the net unassisted to tie things back up. Casertano put in the eventual game-winner off a Denaga assist with five minutes left to play, while the BC defense forcing critical turnovers and making saves down the stretch to clinch the one-goal win.
 
The Tornados renew the Ridge Rivalry on Thursday, February 29 at 4 p.m. when BC travels to Swannanoa, North Carolina to take on Warren Wilson College.
 
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