UMO women fall in Conference Carolinas tournament final

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 7, 2014 1:47 PM

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CONCORD -- Third-seeded University of Mount Olive was held to a season-low 21.8-percent shooting and endured a season-ending, 61-41 defeat to Limestone (S.C.) in the Conference Carolinas tournament championship game Wednesday evening.

Limestone earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II tournament.

The top-seeded Saints opened the game with a 9-0 run and took complete command with a 19-0 offensive outburst midway through the opening half. The Trojan women endured a pair of 41/2-minute scoring droughts they could never overcome.

Joneiqua Gary emerged the lone UMO player in double figures with 10 points. Jasmine McDonald contributed seven points and 11 rebounds. Kirksten Mitchell scored nine points, while Katie Paschal chipped in seven.

It was the final contest for five Trojan seniors -- Paschal, Mitchell, McDonald, Gary and Andrea Jones.

"We just never got into a rhythm offensively or defensively, and Limestone had a lot to do with that because they're athletic and long, and they stand in your face," UMO head coach Wendy Lee said. "We didn't have that spark today. We played hard, just not hard enough to get the win. Overall five tremendous seniors that have meant the world to me as a coach, it's going to be hard to let those five go.

"Dealing with a loss is tough, but seeing those five leave is even tougher than taking this loss today."

Mount Olive concluded the year 18-11 overall.

Men's lacrosse

WESTMINSTER, Md. -- Goalie Ross Bowman broke his own school record for saves and the University of Mount Olive thwarted a late rally during its 9-6, non-conference triumph over Southern New Hampshire on Thursday afternoon.

The teams played at Division III member McDaniel College.

Bowman matched his previous school record (14 saves) with 7:53 left in the fourth quarter. He stopped two additional SNH shots to set the new mark and help the Trojans collect their fourth victory of the season.

Trailing 2-0, Cameron Walsh triggered a seven-goal run that put UMO ahead to stay. Walsh scored five minutes into the opening period and Matt Shields knotted the contest at 2-all two minutes into the second period.

Walsh scored again and assisted on Shields' second goal to make it 4-2. Alex Tindall and Dan Shields connected on back-to-back goals in the third period. Shields' man-up goal capped the 7-0 run.

Shields scored the Trojans' final two goals, including one with 60 seconds remaining to halt a Southern New Hampshire comeback attempt.

Mount Olive (4-1 overall) returns home March 12 to face Alderson-Broaddus. Game time is 3 p.m. at Amon Field.

Women's lacrosse

TAMPA, Fla -- Katie McGovern scored four of her school-record six goals during a 7-0 run, and the University of Mount Olive defeated the University of Tampa, 14-8, on Wednesday afternoon.

McGovern broke the single-game record she shared with Heather Cockburn and Riann Daziel.

Michelle Scannell and Michelle Fortier connected on back-to-back goals to break a 3-3 deadlock and give UMO a 5-3 lead. Tampa knotted the contest at 5-5 and 6-6 before McGovern scored just before intermission.

The Trojans outscored Tampa 7-2 in the second half.

Scannell finished with three goals, while Daziel added two goals. Goalkeeper Hannah Knight recorded six saves.

Mount Olive (4-1 overall) is the guest of St. Leo (Fla.) University on Saturday.