Montreat, NC – The top-ranked Cumberlands women's lacrosse team had ten different players net at least one goal in the 21-1 win over Montreat Wednesday night.  With the win, UC improves to 12-1 on the season and 1-1 in conference play.

Emma Rittman led the way for UC with a program-best eight caused turnovers to go along with five points, 12 draw controls, and five ground balls.  Aleyah Belton finished with six points, as Ashlee Baker notched a career-high five points.  Mia Rask added a hat trick, while Morgan Terpstra tallied four points, including her 100^th career point.  Koral Hadac scooped six draw controls and three ground balls in the win.

Cumberlands defense came out strong forcing multiple turnovers over the first five minutes of play.  Mia Rask worked from behind the cage and fired a shot into the corner of the goal to put UC in front 1-0.  Emma Rittman won the draw control and netted a goal 11 seconds later to extend the lead.  Ashlee Baker scored twice before Rittman scooped a draw control and connected with Morgan Tate for a goal to extend the lead to 5-0 with 6:33 remaining.  Peyton Koenig and Sarah Linam each added a goal as part of a four-goal run to make it 9-0 with 2:37 remaining.  Cumberlands defense tallied nine caused turnovers in the period to take a 9-0 advantage.

Koral Hadac scooped the first two draw controls of the second quarter, which resulted in goals from Terpstra and Anna Lobbezoo extending the lead to 11-0, four-minute in.  Several minutes later, Rittman forced a turnover and scooped the ground ball, before connecting with Lobbezoo for a goal to make it 12-0.  Cumberlands added two more goals as the Patriots took a 14-1 advantage into half.

UC came out in the third quarter continuing their stifling defense as Rittman, Helsten, Jenna Veech, and Lobbezoo all recorded a caused turnover.  With 8:50 remaining Peyton Koenig found a cutting Ashlee Baker for a goal to extend the lead to 15-0.  Cumberlands added two goals including one by Tate to take a 17-1 lead.

Rittman forced a turnover less than a minute into the fourth quarter, which marked her program record eighth caused turnover of the game.  Aleyah Belton forced a turnover before converting a free position goal early in the period.  UC added two goals to close out the game for the 21-1 final.

Cumberlands finished the game with 22 caused turnovers, which is tied for third most in program history. 

The Patriots will return to the field Saturday, March 30, when they host St. Andrews.  The game is slated to begin at 1 p.m. with live video available here. 

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