MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Senior midfielder Emily Denaga eclipsed 250 career points as the Brevard College women's lacrosse team (7-6, 5-3 USA South) picked up a thrilling 14-11 victory over Huntingdon College (3-8, 3-5 USAS) on Tuesday afternoon at Charles Lee Field in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
Denaga, a fourth-year Tornado from Buford, Georgia, who holds program career records for goals, points, and draw controls, scored five times with an assist for six points to surpass the 250-mark for her collegiate career. Xan Hill scored three times with an assist, while Arianna Casertano also notched a hat trick. Kelsey Hamrick stuffed the stat sheet with two goals and three assists, while Madi Norris scored, dished two assists out, and caused a team-high four turnovers. Audrey Hanson added an assist while causing three turnovers, and Kyla Smith-Fondall (5-6) made 13 saves en route to the winning effort.
 
The Hawks (29 shots) and the Tornados (28 shots) played nearly even throughout the matchup. BC was able to go 14-for-16 on clear attempts, while the Hawks led the ground ball category 27-to-20. The struggle for draw controls between Brevard (14) and Huntingdon (13) was nearly even as well.
 
Just over five minutes into play, Casertano found the back of the net off Norris' assist to put the Tornados up 1-0 at the 9:16 mark. Denaga scored to double BC's lead off another Norris assist. Hamrick then scored to put Brevard up by three at the 4:37 mark in the first period. Casertano scored her second goal of the quarter off a Denaga assist, followed by Hill's goal with 58 seconds left in the period that came via a delivery by Hamrick as the Tornados carried a 5-0 lead into the second period.
 
Huntingdon controlled the opening draw of the second period and scored just 54 seconds into play as Kate Hudson found the nylon for the Hawks. Brevard responded at the 8:33 mark as Hill scored off a free-position attempt. Denaga then controlled the ensuing draw, and Norris capitalized, scoring her first goal of the afternoon off a Hamrick dime that made it 7-1 Tornados.
 
Neither side scored for seven minutes before HC's Reagan Barrett found the back of the net with 20 seconds remaining in the first half, and the Hawks controlled the final draw. HC earned a free-position attempt with three seconds before intermission, and Taff Bradley converted the opportunity to cut the halftime deficit to four goals, 7-3.
 
Casertano and Hill led the way at the break with two goals apiece, while Hamrick and Norris each dished out two first-half assists with a goal apiece. Denaga notched her 250^th career point with a goal and an assist in addition to four draw controls, and goalkeeper Kyla Smith-Fondall logged eight first-half saves.
 
Hudson found the back of the net again for Huntingdon as the Hawks pulled within three goals to start the third stanza. Denaga promptly answered, scoring off a Hill assist at the 12:02 mark. Denaga would add her third goal of the afternoon with 8:51 left in the third quarter, pushing BC's lead back up to a five-goal margin, 9-4.
 
Denaga and Hudson traded goals midway through the third period, keeping the deficit at five for the Hawks. Huntingdon's Colby Jones scored on the power-play with just over a minute left in the third quarter as the contest shifted to a decisive fourth period with the Tornados leading by four goals, 10-6.
 
Huntingdon outscored Brevard 2-1 in the first three minutes of the fourth period, trimming the deficit to just three goals at 11-8. The Hawks then capitalized on another power-play chance as Barrett scored with 9:32 left in the game, drawing the hosts even closer. Huntingdon then controlled the next draw and cut Brevard's lead to one goal, 11-10, at the 9:15 mark.
 
Denaga scored her fifth goal of the game with 7:34 left to play to push the Tornado lead back to a two-goal margin. The Hawks responded, however, scoring their third power-play goal of the contest to pull back within one goal. Casertano converted a critical free-position attempt for the Tornados at the 3:13 mark, with the Tornados playing player-down, that put BC back up by two goals, 13-11.
 
With the Hawks down by two and 1:40 left, Smith-Fondall registered her 13^th save of the game to keep Huntingdon from pulling closer. Hill then put the game on ice as she connected off an assist by Hamrick in the final minute of the game, as Brevard sealed the conference victory 14-11.
 
The 2025 regular season finale is set for the Tornados, who travel to Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday to take on Meredith, with first draw set for noon.
 
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, and follow 'Brevard College Athletics' on Facebook. In addition, follow 'brevardcollege' on Flickr for photos from Brevard College events.