SAINT LEO, Fla. - The eighth-ranked Saint Leo women's lacrosse team jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back in a 17-4 victory over the visiting Lenoir-Rhyne Bears in non-conference action on Tuesday night. Three Lions scored a trio of goals each as senior Maria Palomba continued to dominate at the midfield as she led the game with nine draws on the night.
 
Sophia Wood, Emma Hayhurst, and Briana Bellando each recorded a hat trick as a total of 10 different Lions found the back of the net in the winning effort. Parker Surace and Jessica Harclerode picked up three ground balls each. Saint Leo capitalized on quality chances as it scored seven free position goals on 11 attempts, led by Wood and Hayhurst with two each. Harclerode made three saves in three quarters of play and Makayla Goetz made three saves in the final 15 minutes as she made her second appearance on the season in as many games.
 
#8 SAINT LEO 17, LENOIR-RHYNE 4
The Lions wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Hayhurst scored the first two goals of , the game netting her first of the night just 43 seconds into the game. Palomba put the Lions up 3-0 in the opening seven minutes of the game. Wood followed with a pair of free position goals as the Lions took a five-goal advantage into the second quarter.
 
Sophomore Briana Bellando scored Saint Leo's sixth goal two minutes into the quarter before Lenior-Rhyne scored their first goal of the night two minutes later. Senior Josey Storm and junior Holly Hill both added goals as the Lions' lead grew as the quarter continued. Saint Leo then scored two goals in eight seconds, with Palomba scoring right off the draw on a highlight reel play. With 21 seconds left, Hayhurst netted her third goal of the game, and her second from the free position as the Lions took a 10-goal lead into the intermission.
 
Senior Ava Valenti opened the second half scoring with an unassisted goal. Junior Jana Nuss scored four minutes later as the Lions took a 12-goal lead deep into the quarter. The Bears were able to get back on the scoreboard with their second goal of the game, but Wood quickly restored the 12-goal lead for the Lions. Both teams traded goals in the final minute of the quarter, with Saint Leo maintaining a 12-goal advantage after three quarters.
 
Bellando struck again with her third goal of the game as the Lions' lead stretched to 13 halfway through the quarter. With under five minutes to play, Freshman Brigid Torpey scored the first goal of her career.
 
Offensively, the Lions were led by Hayhurst and Bellando, who each recorded three points from three goals. Wood equaled her career-high three goals and recorded three total points. Hill recorded three points from a goal and two assists and Nuss recorded three points from a goal and two assists. Defensively, the Green & Gold were led by Junior Parker Surace who recorded three groundballs and caused two turnovers, both of which were season-highs. Freshman McKenna Gotlinger recorded a career-high two groundballs, while also causing one turnover. The Lions defense caused a season-high 12 turnovers. In net, Junior Jessica Harclerode made three saves and recorded three groundballs. Senior Makayla Goetz came on in relief in the fourth quarter and made three saves.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo continues its homestand on Thursday, March 13, as it hosts Seton Hill (Pa.) for a non-conference game starting at 7 p.m.