BREVARD, N.C. – The Brevard College women's lacrosse team (7-4, 4-0 USA South) held on for a 13-12 win in a thriller over Pfeiffer University (4-7, 1-3 USAS) on Tuesday evening at Ives-Lemel Famiy Field.
 
With the win, the Tornados earned their fifth-straight win overall, and their fourth USA South win in a row, as Brevard is unblemished in conference action so far at 4-0. BC's 4-0 start to conference play is the best start in program history.
 
After both sides played the first half deadlocked at 7-7, Brevard outscored Pfeiffer 4-0 in the third quarter to open up an 11-7 advantage, and then scored two of the first three goals in the fourth period to extend its lead to a 13-8 margin. However, the Falcons would not go away, striking for four unanswered goals in the final 7:30 of gameplay to cut the deficit to one goal. Brevard held on for the one-goal win as the Falcon comeback effort ran out of time.
 
Junior standout midfielder Emily Denaga, the reigning USA South Player of the Week, led the offensive attack for Brevard, scoring six times – including two free-position goals - with one assist for seven points, while also adding 10 pivotal draw control wins. Denaga's seven points on Tuesday give her 187 for her already illustrious Tornado career and draw her within one of the program record set by Nina Siu (188, 2015-18). Denaga made an impact defensively as well, grabbing four ground balls and causing a turnover.
 
Sophomore attacker Xan Hill scored three times and added three assists for six points, while freshman attacker Arianna Casertano scored twice for BC. Sophomore midfielder Paige Kneubuhler scored a goal and added two assists for three points, while freshman midfielder Kelsey Hamrick added her third goal in as many games for Brevard.
 
BC's junior defensive duo of Cassidy Hutto and Lex MacLauchlin caused a pair of turnovers, with MacLauchlin snatching three ground balls. Kyla Smith-Fondall earned her fifth win in-a-row as the starting keeper for the Tornados, making nine total saves with seven ground balls and a caused turnover as well.
 
Pfeiffer's Julia Barbato scored four times and assisted on a goal, matching Analise Robinson who also totaled five points on three goals and two assists. Skyla Jo Charette put in a hat trick for the Falcons, and Chloe Johnson distributed a team-best three assists to go alongside two goals for a total of five points. Emma LaFave grabbed six ground balls to lead all Falcons, and Barbato won five draw controls for the visitors.
 
Hamrick and Denaga got things going for BC, scoring back-to-back goals through the first five minutes of play to establish a two-goal edge for Brevard early, but the Falcons answered back with a pair of goals midway through the first period to tie things up, 2-2.
 
Both sides traded goals as Denaga found the back of the net for the second time, and Barbato put in a Robinson assist at the 3-minute mark in the first quarter for Pfeiffer. With just 51 seconds left to play, Casertano scored a stellar goal on a dish by Hill, pushing the Tornados ahead as the first period drew to a close, 4-3.
 
Pfeiffer scored a power play goal on a free-position shot by Robinson just 39 seconds into the second quarter, tying things back up at four goals apiece. Denaga scored her third goal of the evening unassisted at the 12:53 mark, once again pushing Brevard back ahead.
 
The Falcons began to slightly pull away with three power-play strikes, gaining their largest lead of the contest, 7-5, However, Denaga and Hill sparked a late two-goal rally for the Tornados, as Denaga put in a Hill assist followed by a free-position strike from Hill that tied things up as the game drew to the halftime intermission, 7-7.
 
Hill opened up the second half with a fury, scoring with just 34 seconds elapsed off the game clock on an assist from Kneubuhler. Nearly 10 minutes later, Brevard found the back of the net once again, as Kneubuhler put in an unassisted goal. This sparked a rally from the Tornados, with Denaga scoring on a free-position shot just 49 seconds later, and Denaga putting in a Hill assist on a power play opportunity at the 1:53 mark to cap off a 4-0 quarter for the Tornados, who led 11-7 with 15 minutes left to play.
 
Robinson put in an early goal for the Falcons just 35 seconds into the fourth and final period of action, but BC answered right back, as Hill scored on a Denaga assist at the 11:16 mark, followed by a Casertano free-position shot with 9:26 left to play that extended Brevard's advantage up to five goals, 13-8.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Falcons put together a late rally that nearly sent the contest to overtime. First, Pfeiffer scored at the 7:26 mark, and then utilized a Tornado yellow card and scored 23 seconds later to cut the margin to three goals, 13-10. Four minutes later, Pfeiffer's Johnson scored at the 2:56 mark after a forced turnover and successful clear attempt by the Falcons, as Brevard clung to a two-goal cushion, 13-11. Pfeiffer and Brevard were both called for yellow cards with around two minutes left to play, and a turnover by BC within the last minute of action allowed Pfeiffer's Barbato to score player-down, putting the BC lead at just one goal with four seconds to play. The game clock expired on the ensuing draw control attempt, handing Brevard its fifth win in a row.
 
The Tornados will next be in action when they host their annual Morgan's Message game on Saturday at 11 a.m. vs. Meredith College at Ives-Lemel Family Field.
 
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