ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- The top seeded Piedmont College women's lacrosse team could not complete its quest for a USA South tournament title in 2015 falling today to the #2 seed Meredith College 10-7 in the Championship Game.
The Lady Lions trailed at the half 6-5 to the Avenging Angels and were still behind by just a single score with 15 minutes to play in Rocky Mount before Meredith scored three straight to control the contest down the stretch claiming its second straight USA South tournament crown.
For Piedmont, four were named to the USA South All-Tournament team including MCKYNSEY DOUGLAS, MAGGIE MCDANIEL, CAHNER MANNS, and JENINE BRIDEAU. Meredith placed three on the listing including Tourney MVP Danielle Lee from Meredith as the dual-sport athlete capped a senior year that also included a share of the regular season title in women's soccer for the Avenging Angel midfielder.
Lee scored twice in the first half against PC as Meredith opened up a 2-0 lead in the early going before Piedmont All-Conference performer MAGGIE MCDANIEL scored with 22:44 left in the half to make it a 2-1 game.
Meredith scored just over two minutes later to make it a 3-1 game before Piedmont rallied with three unanswered to claim its first lead of the afternoon as JENNA SMITH opened the streak with just under 15 to play in the first half before back-to-back scores fromMCKYNSEY DOUGLAS.
Douglas now has 63 scores on the season, one of four in the league to total 60 or more in the 2015 season.
Holding a 4-3 lead now with just over five minutes left before halftime, Piedmont saw tourney MVP Danielle Lee score the first of two first half goals with 5:01 remaining to tie the game at 4-4.
After MAGGIE MCDANIEL scored just ten seconds later to hand the advantage back to Piedmont, Meredith answered with two of its own to hold the upper hand headed into the break as the Avenging Angels would not trail again on the afternoon.
With those two scores by Meredith to end the first half, Piedmont was outscored six to two over the final 33 minutes in Rocky Mount though the title was still within grasp for the Green and Gold with just under 17 minutes to play as CAHNER MANNS scored to make it a 7-6 lead for Meredith.
However, a three-goal run for the Avenging Angels put the crown out of reach for the league's regular season champ as Meredith went on to claim the USA South tourney title with the three-goal victory.
McDaniel and Douglas each scored two for Piedmont to lead the Lady Lions while JENNA SMITH also scored a pair for PC. Meredith's Carlee Joseph led all scorers with her four goals on the afternoon.
McDaniel also led the team with her two assists and posted a game-high six draw controls as well for the Green and Gold.
With the loss, Piedmont's 2015 record now stands at 14-2 overall as the Lady Lions see their season come to a close in the USA South title game a second straight year. In only its third year of existence, Piedmont women's lacrosse has now posted 41 wins in its first 50 games of competition since beginning play with the 2013 season.
The Lady Lions trailed at the half 6-5 to the Avenging Angels and were still behind by just a single score with 15 minutes to play in Rocky Mount before Meredith scored three straight to control the contest down the stretch claiming its second straight USA South tournament crown.
For Piedmont, four were named to the USA South All-Tournament team including MCKYNSEY DOUGLAS, MAGGIE MCDANIEL, CAHNER MANNS, and JENINE BRIDEAU. Meredith placed three on the listing including Tourney MVP Danielle Lee from Meredith as the dual-sport athlete capped a senior year that also included a share of the regular season title in women's soccer for the Avenging Angel midfielder.
Lee scored twice in the first half against PC as Meredith opened up a 2-0 lead in the early going before Piedmont All-Conference performer MAGGIE MCDANIEL scored with 22:44 left in the half to make it a 2-1 game.
Meredith scored just over two minutes later to make it a 3-1 game before Piedmont rallied with three unanswered to claim its first lead of the afternoon as JENNA SMITH opened the streak with just under 15 to play in the first half before back-to-back scores fromMCKYNSEY DOUGLAS.
Douglas now has 63 scores on the season, one of four in the league to total 60 or more in the 2015 season.
Holding a 4-3 lead now with just over five minutes left before halftime, Piedmont saw tourney MVP Danielle Lee score the first of two first half goals with 5:01 remaining to tie the game at 4-4.
After MAGGIE MCDANIEL scored just ten seconds later to hand the advantage back to Piedmont, Meredith answered with two of its own to hold the upper hand headed into the break as the Avenging Angels would not trail again on the afternoon.
With those two scores by Meredith to end the first half, Piedmont was outscored six to two over the final 33 minutes in Rocky Mount though the title was still within grasp for the Green and Gold with just under 17 minutes to play as CAHNER MANNS scored to make it a 7-6 lead for Meredith.
However, a three-goal run for the Avenging Angels put the crown out of reach for the league's regular season champ as Meredith went on to claim the USA South tourney title with the three-goal victory.
McDaniel and Douglas each scored two for Piedmont to lead the Lady Lions while JENNA SMITH also scored a pair for PC. Meredith's Carlee Joseph led all scorers with her four goals on the afternoon.
McDaniel also led the team with her two assists and posted a game-high six draw controls as well for the Green and Gold.
With the loss, Piedmont's 2015 record now stands at 14-2 overall as the Lady Lions see their season come to a close in the USA South title game a second straight year. In only its third year of existence, Piedmont women's lacrosse has now posted 41 wins in its first 50 games of competition since beginning play with the 2013 season.
