A three-goal fourth quarter propelled the top-seeded Trojans of Mount Olive to the 2023 Conference Carolinas Women’s Lacrosse Championship title for the third straight season. 

Mount Olive defeated second-seeded Belmont Abbey for the third straight year, 11-9. 

It was a fast start as Belmont Abbey scored first less than two minutes into the contest and 32 seconds later Mount Olive responded to tie the game. Olivia Carlino put the Crusaders back in front with 4:32 left in the opening quarter but Mount Olive got a pair of goals from Ali Davis to take a 3-2 lead after one. It was an action-packed second quarter that featured eight goals, four from each team, to give the Trojans the 7-6 lead at the break.

The Crusaders scored the final three goals of the second quarter and added two more in the third for an 8-7 lead, but Davis again found the net for UMO to even the game at eight with 15 minutes to play. It was all Mount Olive in the fourth as Peyton Youngblood scored the go-ahead goal and the Trojans added two more tallies in the final quarter for an 11-8 lead. The Crusaders scored with 3:03 left, but that was it as the Trojans captured the program’s third straight title.

Davis paced the Trojans offense with three goals while Bria Hamilton added two goals and an assist. Tournament MVP Zoe Dougherty added a goal, three ground balls and 10 draw controls. Riley D’Andrea led the Crusaders with a game high six points on five goals and an assist with goalie Summer Eddinger made a career-high 18 saves in the contest. 

Fans can watch replays of every game of the tournament live via the Conference Carolinas Digital Network and Hudl at conferencecarolinasdn.com. Information regarding the championship schedule, bracket and Electric Supply Company Field at Truist Stadium are available here. 

2023 Conference Carolinas Women’s Lacrosse All-Tournament Team

MVP – Zoe Dougherty, Mount Olive

Alexis Stanley, Mount Olive

Morgan Paige, Mount Olive

Madison Dow, Mount Olive

Peyton Youngblood, Mount Olive

Olivia Carlino, Belmont Abbey

Riley D’Andrea, Belmont Abbey

Summer Eddinger, Belmont Abbey

Kasey Kubarewicz, Belmont Abbey

Kaya Bartlett, Barton

Tamia Marshall, Barton

Danielle LaPlume, North Greenville

Dani O’Meara, North Greenville