PHILADELPHIA – Behind a season-high six goals from Stephanie Asher and a season-best in team goals, Elon University women's lacrosse completed a CAA weekend sweep on Sunday, April 22, with an 18-13 victory over Drexel at Vidas Field.
 
THE RUNDOWN
Though Drexel (4-11, 1-4 CAA) got the day started with a goal nearly six minutes in, Kelsey Dupere answered less than a minute later with her first strike of the day. After Maggie Stetson scored to put Drexel back on top 2-1, Asher tallied to tie the game and Melissa Birdsell put Elon (4-10, 3-2 CAA) on top for the first time at 3-2 with 18:10 left in the first half.
 
Following a second Stetson goal that tied the game at 3-all, Grace Simpson opened the flood gates for the Phoenix with her first of the year to start a 4-0 run that put Elon up 7-3 with 10:28 left in the first. During the run, Dupere and Asher added their second goals while Maeve Cowley notched her 13th tally of the campaign. Though Drexel got back within three at 8-5 after back-to-back goals, Dupere and Asher polished off first-half hat tricks by both scoring in the final 91 seconds of the half.
 
To start the second, Drexel got on the board less than a minute in, but the Phoenix responded with a 5-0 run to go up 14-6 thanks to two goals from Asher and one from Birdsell, Simpson and Shannon Horan. While Drexel didn't go quietly thanks to a 4-1 run that saw it come back within five at 15-10, Elon again answered with a 3-0 run with goals from Birdsell, Quinn Daly and Cami Lynch to make it 18-10 with 6:52 to play.  Over the course of the final 4:12, Drexel tallied three times to close the final margin to five, but it was too late with Elon claiming the victory.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
Asher's six goals on 10 shots finished as a game high. She also finished with a game-high five draw controls with two ground balls. Birdsell and Dupere both added hat tricks with Birdsell also grabbing three draw controls and two ground balls while Dupere had one of each. Simpson recorded two goals and Daly, Lynch, Cowley and Horan each finished with one. Bridget Lamb picked up a game-high five ground balls.
 
NOTES
-Stephanie Asher recorded a season-high seven points with the six goals and an assists. That topped the previous high of six points in the opener against Duke.
-Bridget Lamb set a new career high with five ground balls in the contest.
-Melissa Birdsell scored three goals for her second-career hat trick, which matches her career high.
-Grace Simpson set a new career high with two goals. That also set a new career high of two points.
-With 23 ground balls, it sets a new high for a single game this season.
-Elon's 18 goals marks the most in a game this season. The previous high was 13 in an overtime loss to High Point.
-Elon has now won three in a row against Drexel since losing the first-ever meeting between the two back in 2015.
 
UP NEXT
Elon will return home for the final game of the regular season to face William & Mary on Saturday, April 28, at 1 p.m. After the game, the Phoenix will hold Senior Day festivities for its 12-member senior class.