NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 13, Sewanee 18
Records: Piedmont, 1-2; Sewanee 1-0

DEMOREST, Ga. - The Piedmont University women's lacrosse team took on visiting Sewanee in a non-conference showdown earlier Saturday afternoon falling 18-13 to the Tigers who claim their second straight win in the series between the two Southeast-based programs.  

Prior to the '25 installment, the two programs had split the last two decisions in the series with Sewanee earning a 17-13 win in 2024 after Piedmont had knocked off the Tigers by a goal (20-19) in the 2023 version that snapped a 6-game winning streak for Sewanee. 

Sewanee, who finished 12-7 a year ago en route to a SAA Semi-final showing, came into the Lions' Den after having opened up against Piedmont in Tennessee at home in 2024 marking the second straight season the Tigers have opened the year against the Lions. 

A tightly contested battle between the two programs was decided in the 4th quarter as Sewanee, who led by just two goals with right under 11 minutes to play, scored three straight times to ice the road victory. 

Piedmont got the game started on the right foot when Ava Trankina scored the first of her four goals on the day to give PU the first lead, but Sewanee tallied three unanswered the rest of the way in the quarter to lead 3-1 after 15 minutes.  

Over the next two quarters, the two only saw themselves separated by a single score with Sewanee's lead holding up despite continuous offensive pressure applied by Piedmont who twice rallied from three goals down to draw level. 

The fans at Walker Athletic Complex began to make themselves heard when Piedmont roared out from the half with one of those patented runs to even the contest.  Trailing 8-5, Piedmont's Aly Reece converted a player-up opportunity scoring with only 17 seconds gone in the period to make it 8-6. 

Moments later, a free-position conversion by Clara Welch cut the Lions' deficit down to a goal before a Trankina goal at the 11:46 mark in the 3rd brought it all even at 8-8.  

However, each run made by the home team though was answered by the Tigers who saw eight different players tally scores on the day led by their own 4-goal scorer in Elizabeth Muller with her first of the day coming in the three-straight stretch that answered Trankina's tying goal in the 3rd.

Making one more push in the 4th with a Lovette Choloh goal at the 10:59 mark that put the Lions down just two, Sewanee would cap the home team's scoring from that point forward while adding three more to its total including a Morgan Boylan goal coming out of a timeout with 1:19 lef that put the game out of reach for PU.  

Up next, the Lions remain in action at the WAC facing Berry on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
- Leading 8-5 at the half, Sewanee on the day twice responded to runs by the home team that tied the contest with the second such instance coming after Piedmont opened the 3rd quarter scoring three straight to even the score at 8 only to watch the Tigers put in three straight of their own to take a lead they would not relinquish.   

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- Ava Trankina who scored four times and assisted on four other goals as well as she continues her banner season with now 12 goals to her name on the year to lead the USA South in scoring.
- With Trankina topping the scoresheet lead, three other Lions all scored a pair each including Lovette Choloh, Merryn Bumpass, and Savannah Limehouse.
- Despite the loss, freshman goalie Ansli Cannon had 14 saves in the game as the newcomer ranks top three amongst USA South netminders in goals against average for the season. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Sewanee controlled the final 10 minutes of the contest to pull away late scoring three goals including two within 22 seconds that distanced the Tigers from the Lions after Piedmont's Lovette Choloh scored to make the margin only two goals. 
- Piedmont scored first in every period on the day with Trankina either tallying the goal or assist on the period-opening goal all four times.  

HOW TO FOLLOW:
- To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on X @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and Facebook.