ELON – A dominant first-half effort propelled the Elon women's lacrosse team (3-2) to a 15-7 victory Thursday night against High Point (0-5) in a season's best offensive showing at Rudd Field.

The Phoenix controlled the opening 30 minutes, racing out to a 10-2 lead. Elon stretched its lead to as many as many as 11 in the second half on its way to an eight-goal victory.

Ana Lee Vandiver netted a first-quarter natural hat trick and finished with a game-high five goals. Anna Hackett notched her fourth straight hat trick, with Mackenzie Coleman and Lizzie Scalzo each scoring a pair. Seven different Phoenix found the back of the net.

In goal, Caitlin Walsh made seven saves to anchor a strong defensive night for the Phoenix.

How It Happened

• Elon set the tone early with a goal on its opening possession from Danielle Swietoniowski. Hackett scored her first of the night minutes later to make it 2-0 for the Phoenix.
• After High Point netted its first goal of the contest near the midway point of the first quarter, Vandiver reeled off three straight tallies to complete a natural hat trick. The final two goals in that stretch came just 34 seconds apart and gave the Phoenix a 5-1 lead at the end of the first.
• Addie Gilner began the second-quarter scoring with a goal assisted by Swietoniowski. High Point netted the next goal, but the Phoenix finished the first half on a 4-0 scoring run with goals by Scalzo (2), Coleman and Vandiver to lead 10-2 at halftime.
• High Point scored first out of the locker room, but Elon used another 4-0 run to take its biggest lead of the night, 14-3. Vandiver started the run with her fifth of the night, followed by Hackett's second goal at the 5:39 mark. Lillian Austin then scored off a Swietoniowski feed before Hackett capped off her hat trick in the closing minute of the frame.
• The Panthers scored the first four goals of the final quarter to get back within seven, but Coleman tacked on another Phoenix tally in the closing minutes to secure an eight-goal winning margin for Elon.

 
Notable Numbers

• Elon's 15 goals were its most in a game this season. The Phoenix has now reached double-digit goals in four of five contests.
• Vandiver's five goals were tied for the most by an Elon player in a game this season. Scalzo also had five in her Phoenix debut against Queens.
• After scoring hat tricks in each of Elon's first two games, Vandiver had gone scoreless in the last two games. Her five goals against the Panthers were one short of a career high.
• Hackett turned in her fourth straight hat trick, the longest streak since her freshman season, when she had five in a row. The redshirt junior converted on all three of her shots on goal.
• Scalzo, Austin and Swietoniowski all finished with three points. Scalzo posted her second multi-goal effort of the season, with Austin and Swietoniowski pacing the Phoenix with two assists apiece. It was the second multi-assist outing for both Elon sophomores.
• Coleman netted her first two goals of the season. It was the junior's first time scoring since April 23, 2025, against Queens.
• Arianna Silvestri notched the first point of her career, assisting on Hackett's second goal after causing a turnover and leading the Phoenix counterattack. The junior also had a pair of ground balls.
• Ava Matikowki also delivered her first career point, setting up Coleman's first goal of the night.
• Swietoniowski and Maddie Engelkraut paced the Phoenix with three ground balls apiece. The three ground balls were a career best for Engelkraut.
• Freshman defender Leah Riccardi caused the first turnover of her career and added her first career ground balls, scooping a pair.
• Reagan Kuehn forced two High Point turnovers to lead the Phoenix and tie Quinn Daly (2018-21) for sixth all-time in Elon program history for caused turnovers.
• Seven other Elon players forced a turnover, with Silvestri, Riccardi and Carley Sgueglia causing their first of the campaign.
• MJ Santa Barbara controlled the draw circle for the Phoenix, grabbing seven draw controls, her most since racking up 11 in the season opener at Queens.
• Walsh made seven saves in net, stopping half of High Point's shots on target.
• Elon outshot the Panthers, 30-20, on the night. Elon's 23 shots on goal marked a season high.
• Elon outshot High Point, 11-2, in the opening quarter and finished the first half with a 19-7 advantage in attempts.
• The Phoenix also edged out High Point in ground balls (20-16), draw controls (13-11) and turnovers.
• Elon's nine assists were its most in a game since compiling nine against William & Mary on April 13, 2025.
• Through two games at Rudd this season, the Phoenix has allowed just 13 goals. 

Up Next
Elon welcomes No. 7 Notre Dame to Rudd Field on March 10 for its second of four games against ACC opponents this season. The contest is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

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