Conway, S.C. – The Elon University women's lacrosse team made a furious fourth quarter rally Saturday at Coastal Carolina, scoring the final six goals of the game for a 15-14 overtime win over the Chanticleers. Elon scored five goals in the final 11 minutes of regulation and then Sammy Fisher scored on the first possession of golden goal overtime for the victory.
 
Fisher and Ana Lee Vandiver had five goals apiece for Elon. Vandiver scored four of the Phoenix's five goals in the final 10:32 of regulation, including the one that tied the game with just 14 seconds left.
 
With the win, Elon improves to 3-3 on the season. Coastal Carolina falls to 4-3 with the loss.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Coastal Carolina never trailed during the game as the Chanticleers and Phoenix split the first four goals of the game. CCU went ahead 1-0 and 2-1 but Sammy Fisher scored each time to answer.
• Coastal Carolina took a 4-2 lead after one quarter with two goals in the final three minutes of the opening period. The Chanticleers built a 6-2 lead with a pair of early second-quarter goals.
• Fisher got her hat trick on a woman up goal with 8:29 left in the second and Danielle Swietoniowski added a woman up goal with 4:02 to play to make it 6-4. Lillian Austin scored 32 seconds later and the Phoenix was back within one at 6-5.
• Coastal Carolina took a 7-5 lead into the break on a goal with 54 seconds to play in the second.
• Elon tied it early in the third as Cierra Hopson scored on an assist from Mia Zebley and Lila Ceribelli followed with a goal.
• Coastal took the 8-7 lead before Fisher posted her fourth goal to tie it at 8-8 with 8:27 to play in the third.
• But Coastal Carolina built momentum with five straight goals and had control of the game, 13-8.
• Ana Lee Vandiver scored late in the third, her first of the game, but CCU added a goal with 11:34 to play for the 14-9 lead.
• That would be the final Coastal Carolina goal, though, as Elon found an offensive rhythm. Vandiver scored on a pass from Hopson with 10:32 left to make it 14-10.
• Vandiver scored again just 49 seconds later to bring Elon to within three.
• It took more than four minutes for Elon to score again but Addie Gilner's goal with 5:04 left made it 14-12. Vandiver scored her fourth of the game just 37 seconds later to make it a one-goal game.
• As time wound down inside the final 30 seconds, Gilner found Vandiver for the game-tying score with just 14 seconds remaining.
• In overtime, Fisher won the opening draw and after Elon set up the offense, she scored the golden goal 62 seconds into the extra period.

 
STATS AND NOTES

• Elon and Coastal Carolina have played games decided by just one goal for four straight years. Last year, CCU won 8-7 after Elon had won 16-15 in 2023. In 2022, Coastal Carolina won 15-14 in overtime. The visiting team has won all four of those games.
• Elon's five-goal rally equals the largest comeback in program history, tying the five-goal deficit it overcame against VCU a year ago. However, this was the first time the program overcame a five-goal deficit in the second half (or fourth quarter for that matter).
• Fisher has scored the game-winner in each of Elon's last two overtime games. She scored at Towson a year ago in the regular season finale to clinch a CAA Tournament berth.
• Sammy Fisher and Ana Lee Vandiver are the first Elon teammates to each score five goals in a game since Kaitlyn Michaud and Anna Hackett had five apiece in a 16-6 win over Old Dominion last year.
• This was Fisher's third hat trick of the year. She has scored at least two goals in each of Elon's last five games and a team-best 15 for the year. The five goals equals her career-high.
• Vandiver recorded her third hat trick of the season as well. She is second on the team in goals with 12.  
• Reagan Kuehn and Brooke Scheuermann tied for the team-lead with three ground balls each. Kuehn had eight ground balls in the last three games.
• Kuehn and Mia Zebley had two caused turnovers apiece.
• Vandiver and Fisher also led the team in draw controls with eight and five, respectively. The duo had 13 of the team's 16 draw controls.
• Elon outshot Coastal Carolina 37-22 and 32-20 in shots on goal.
• The two teams both ranked among the top 20 teams in the country in fewest turnovers committed entering the game. Elon had just five turnovers, while Coastal Carolina had 12.
• Elon was a perfect 13-for-13 on clear attempts and held an 18-7 advantage in ground balls.
• Each team had 16 draw controls.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon will play at Piedmont rival High Point Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. in a game broadcast on ESPN+. High Point is 1-4 on the season, including a wild 26-21 loss to Liberty earlier in the year.