The Gannon University women's lacrosse team earned its first victory of the season with a dominant second-half performance, taking down Catawba 12-8 on Thursday at Shuford Stadium. After trailing early, the Golden Knights stormed back with an 8-3 scoring run in the second half to secure the victory.

The game started with Catawba taking control, jumping out to a 4-1 lead by the end of the first quarter. Gannon's only goal in the opening period came from Charlie Hunter (Boston, N.Y./Hamburg), who finished the night with two goals and one assist.

The Golden Knights responded in the second quarter with Avrey Kirisits (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster Central) scoring back-to-back goals to shift the momentum, both assisted by Ella Todd (Maple Ridge, British Columbia/Maple Ridge Secondary). Kirisits led all scorers with four goals, while Todd contributed across the board with two goals and a game-high five assists. Caroline Stevens (Syracuse, N.Y./Liverpool) added a key goal before halftime, cutting the deficit to 5-4.

Gannon completely took over in the second half, tying the game early in the third quarter with a goal from Rayla Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum), who finished with two goals and controlled four draws. Kirisits then struck again to give Gannon its first lead of the game at 6-5, but after Catawba evened the score, Todd responded with a clutch free-position goal to put Gannon back in front. Stevens followed with her second goal of the night, while Smith converted a free-position shot to give Gannon a commanding 9-6 lead heading into the final period.

The Golden Knights continued their offensive push in the fourth quarter as Todd, Hunter, and Kirisits each found the back of the net to put the game out of reach. Gannon also controlled possession, winning 16 draw controls compared to Catawba's eight. Riley Finnegan (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) anchored the defense in goal, making nine saves to secure the win.

Up Next
 The Golden Knights wrap up their spring break trip against Belmont Abbey, with the opening draw set for noon at Alumni Field in Belmont, North Carolina.