Elon, N.C. – The Elon lacrosse team held off a pair of second-half charges by the Delaware Blue Hens Saturday to earn a 16-15 victory on Senior Day. Elon recognized five seniors pregame and then turned in an offensive clinic in a must-win contest on Rudd Field.
 
With the victory, Elon forces a "win or go home" contest in a week at Towson. The two teams are both 4-3 in conference play and the winner will earn the fourth and final spot to the CAA Tournament. For the Phoenix, it is a remarkable rebound campaign after going winless in conference action a year ago and being picked to finish eighth out of nine teams in the preseason coaches poll.
 
Elon improved to 8-7 overall and eliminated Delaware from CAA Tournament contention. The Blue Hens drop to 9-6 overall and 2-5 in CAA action.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sammy Fisher scored a hat trick in less than eight minutes of the first quarter and Kaitlyn Michaud added a score as Elon went ahead 4-2 midway through the first quarter.
• The scoring, though, did not slow down. After Delaware responded with a pair of goals to tie the game, Lila Ceribelli and Michaud closed the first quarter with goals to put Elon ahead 6-4.
• After Delaware cut the deficit in half to open the second quarter, Mia Zebley scored a pair of goals just 43 seconds apart to give Elon an 8-5 advantage.
• Ana Lee Vandiver put the Phoenix on top 9-6 and, after Delaware scored back-to-back goals, Zebley posted her third goal of the period and Elon led 10-8 at the half.
• Fisher, Michaud and Cierra Hopson scored in succession to open the third quarter and Elon looked to be on cruise control with a 13-8 advantage. But Delaware scored the final goal of the third period and then three straight to open the fourth.
• With Elon's lead cut to one at 13-12, the Phoenix responded with three straight goals. Michaud, Bridget Kelly and Zebley gave Elon a 16-12 advantage, but Delaware was not done.
• The Blue Hens scored three goals in 89 seconds, the last coming with 2:30 to play, and closed to within one at 16-15.
• Kailee Follette won the ensuing draw control and was able to run more than a minute off the clock before a turnover gave Delaware the chance it needed to tie the contest.
• The Blue Hens though turned it over with 28 seconds left but Delaware's pressure defense got it right back. Delaware's Jaclyn Marszal had an open look with 13 seconds remaining but Caitlin Walsh made her 10^th save of the contest and Elon was able to run out the clock.

 
NOTES AND STATS

• Sammy Fisher, Kaitlyn Michaud and Mia Zebley had four points each. Zebley added an assist for a game-high five points.
• Zebley's five points were a career-high and her four goals tied her career high, which she set just a week ago in an 18-11 win over William & Mary. Zebley was 2-of-3 on free position shots.
• For Fisher, it was her third straight game with at least four goals. She has a total of 13 goals in Elon's three-game win streak.
• Michaud has at least three points in four straight games. She added two caused turnovers and three ground balls
• Kailee Follette and Reagan Kuehn each had three caused turnovers.
• Kuehn now has 21 caused turnovers on the season, just three shy of the program's freshman record.
• MJ Santa Barbara, who entered the weekend ranked No. 7 in the country in draw controls, had a game-high 10.
• Elon outshot Delaware 34-33 and 28-25 on goal.
• Elon held a 19-15 advantage in draw controls, but Delaware led 16-13 on ground balls.
• Both teams had 21 turnovers in the contest.
• Elon improved to 8-0 on the year when scoring at least 12 goals. The 16 goals were the third-most scored on Delaware this season.
• Elon improves to 5-4 all-time against Delaware, including 4-2 on Rudd Field.
• Elon has won three consecutive CAA contests for the first time since 2017.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon closes the regular season at Towson Saturday at 1:00 p.m. The winner will advance to the CAA Tournament and the loser will see the 2024 season come to a close.