LVC 16, Hood 2

LVC Starters
Anderson, Kelley, Eck, Mellendick, Federowicz, Maleski, Bannan, Brewer, Strack, Jones, O'Neill, Oliveras (GK)

Hood Starters
Slater, Locklear, Jones, Myers, Lunn, Appleby, Murphy, Bauer, Braithwaite, Brandt, Phoubandith, Benoit-Nobis (GK)

How It Happened
FREDERICK, Md. - In its final regular-season game of 2017, Lebanon Valley's women's lacrosse team took care of business and cruised to a 16-2 win over Hood College on Wednesday afternoon. The Dutchmen head into the playoffs at 5-10, 5-3 MAC Commonwealth, while the Blazers fell to 4-11, 0-7 MAC Commonwealth.

LVC began the game on a tear, scoring the contest's first five goals in just under nine minutes of action. Four of those goals were netted by Makenzie Kelley (including the first thing) and one was scored by Emma Jones. After Hood finally got on the board with 20:38 remaining, the Dutchmen came right back and netted two straight, one from Kristina Maleski and another goal from Kelley, to put LVC up 7-1 with 13:54 left in the first.

The Blazers' Jade Locklear was able to find the back of the net with 7:19 left in the first, but an Alexa Bash goal at 6:17 from Jones put the Dutchmen ahead 8-2, and they went into halftime with a very comfortable advantage.

It was all LVC in the second half, as its shut-down defense blanked Hood in the second and the Dutchmen's resurgent offense netted eight second-half goals from seven different players, en route to the dominant victory. Brenna O'Neill, Kirsten Bannan, Amanda Mellendick, Rachel Anderson, and Rachel Havrylkoff all netted goals for LVC. Kelley also added a goal and Jones netted two tallies.

Inside the Numbers
 - Kelley led the offensive onslaught with six goals, two assists, three draw controls, and two ground balls.
 - Jones finished with three tallies, four assists, three ground balls, and four draw controls.
 - O'Neill and Bash had a goal and an assist apiece.
 - Julia Brewer and Maleski each picked up three ground balls.
 - Hannah Oliveras was solid in net and picked up her fifth win while making four saves in the process.
 - LVC outshot Hood 31-8 and dominated in shots on goal at 27-6.
 - The Dutchmen went 15-for-16 on clears compared to Hood going 12-for-16.
 - The teams were knotted in total ground balls at 16-16, but LVC dominated in draw controls at 13-5.

Playoff Picture/Who's Next?
LVC has clinched a MAC Commonwealth Tournament spot and will compete in the Play-In Game on Monday. The Dutchmen will play Lycoming, but the place will depend on what Lycoming does against Widener on Saturday. If Lyco wins, they will host the Dutchmen, but if the Warriors lose, LVC will host Lyco on Monday.