BELMONT, N.C. – The Saint Leo women's lacrosse team kicked off its 2025 campaign with a dominate 18-5 victory at Belmont Abbey in non-conference action on Friday night. The 18-goal performance featured 11 different Lions finding the net as they cruised to a win.

Both teams split the opening four goals of the game until freshman Alexandra Bushey and junior Holly Hill scored back-to-back as the Green and Gold led by a 4-2 margin at the end of the first frame. The Crusaders answered with a pair of goals in the first five minutes of the second quarter to tie the game 4-4. At the 6:33-mark, junior Sophia Wood scored unassisted to give the Lions a 5-4 lead at halftime.

Coming out of intermission, Saint Leo was firing on all cylinders as it outscored the Crusaders 8-1 in the third quarter, 13-5. In the fourth, the Lions continued to roll on both sides of the field with five more goals while their defense was stout by holding Belmont Abbey scoreless and to just one shot attempt to seal the 18-5 victory.
Hill lead the offensive charge for the Lions with six total points featuring three assists and three goals. Junior Jana Nuss registered a hat-trick and now sits just three points away from 100 career points. Senior Clara Gallapoo, sophomore Zoey Lind, and Wood each finished the game with one goal and a pair of assists. Senior Maria Palomba, sophomore Briana Bellando, and Bushey each tallied two goals while Bushey collected her first collegiate goals. Junior Marina Dean, sophomore Natalie Jones, and senior Josey Storm each posted a goal while senior Emma Hayhurst assisted Hill on her third goal of the contest. Palomba, Wood, and Dean contributed four draw controls each.

Defensively, junior Meredith Eitel lead the Green and Gold with three ground balls and two caused turnovers. In the net, junior Jessica Harclerode registered four saves as she earned the complete-game win.

Saint Leo returns to action on Sunday, February 9 as it travels to face Limestone in non-conference action at 2 p.m.