Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

WLAX 2026 Senior Day
Calan Gizelbach
14
Winner Saint Leo ST LEO 13-3, 5-1
12
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU 11-3, 4-2
Winner
Saint Leo ST LEO
13-3, 5-1
14
Final
12
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU
11-3, 4-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Saint Leo ST LEO 2 4 3 5 14
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU 4 2 5 1 12

Game Recap: #4 Women's Lacrosse | | Zach Phillps

No. 4 Women’s Lacrosse Stumbles Late on Senior Day Against No. 10 Saint Leo

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – No. 4 Embry-Riddle women's lacrosse led for the first three quarters on Saturday afternoon, but a 7–0 run by Saint Leo turned the tide as the Lions claimed a 14-12 win. ERAU started the second half on a 5-0 run before Saint Leo responded with seven consecutive goals, escaping with a pivotal win on the Eagles' Senior Day. Before the game, the Blue and Gold recognized the six members of their 2026 senior class, Abigail Ozgar, Emily Silliman, Leah Coletti, Jordan Davis, Rylie Bryant, and Madeline Nees.

RECORDS:
Embry-Riddle: 11-3 (4-2, SSC)
Saint Leo: 13-3 (5-1, SSC)
 
GAME NOTES
  • Embry-Riddle was moved up to No. 4 in the most recent IWLCA Division II national poll (April 6), which is tied for the highest ranking in program history.
  • Saint Leo now leads the all-time series 6-2 over ERAU. The Eagles beat the Lions last season, earning a 15-11 win on the road.

KEY PERFORMERS
Embry-Riddle Saint Leo
  • Player 1: Natalie Jones - 4 G, 4 SH, 4 SOG
  • Player 2: Holly Hill - 3 G, 1 A, 6 SOG, 1 GB
  • Player 3: Sophia Wood - 2 G, 2 A, 7 SH, 5 DC

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
  • Saint Leo won the opening draw of the game, but ERAU was able to force a turnover on the possession. Eliana Enners went on to score the first goal of the game at 12:20.
  • The Lions won the second draw as well and tied the game 1-1 with the very next shot less than a minute later. 
  • A non-releasable two-minute penalty was given to SLU before the draw for having an illegal stick and the freshman duo of Ashley Albert and Aubrey Schmidt combined to restore ERAU's lead at 2-1.
  • Jordan Davis and Enners each tacked on another goal for the Blue and Gold as they used their dominant start to build up a 4-1 advantage through the first 10 minutes of the game.
  • Sophia Wood grabbed the last goal of the period to make it 4-2 and thanks to a save from Ella-Rae Cox on a free position shot in the final 30 seconds, Embry-Riddle took a two-goal lead into the second quarter.
Second Quarter
  • Neither team scored in the first five minutes of the quarter but that was immediately followed by three goals in a 90-second span. Jones scored her second of the day off another assist from Sophia Santella to cut the Eagles' lead in half.
  • Natalie Jansky quickly got the goal back after a draw control from Albert, seeing ERAU go in front 5-3 with 8:34 on the clock.
  • Saint Leo took advantage of three turnovers by the Blue and Gold as they took the lead for the first time during the game after a 3-0 run. Hill, Nuss, and Jones had three unassisted goals to make the game, 6-5.
  • Ava Rogala scored the last goal of the half just 1:17 before the buzzer, sending the teams to the break tied at six in this top-10 matchup.
Third Quarter
  • Jones and Schmidt each scored on their team's first possession of the half to make it, 7-7. That was already the fourth goal from Jones, while Schmidt had quickly reached three points for the Eagles.
  • After the goal to begin the half from Jones, the Lions went more than 10 minutes without scoring as ERAU went on a 5-0 run, using Schmidt as a catalyst.
  • The Blue and Gold got some help from their senior class in the quarter as Davis and Leah Coletti assisted back-to-back goals, watching ERAU lead 9-7 and forced a timeout from Saint Leo.
  • RJ Ensor and Coletti continued the momentum in favor of Embry-Riddle after the timeout as the Eagles scored on each of their next two shots. They now led 11-7 with less than four minutes to go in the quarter.
  • A free position goal for the Lions helped end their goal drought along with a goal from Anna Wood in the final 90 seconds to trim their deficit to 11-9 heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
  • After only one point in the first three quarters for Holly Hill, she racked up three points in the final period, including a goal and an assist on the first two possessions. The game was now tied 11-11 and had 11:13 left in regulation.
  • Sophia Santella gave Saint Leo the lead at 8:27 and Jessica Harcleroade came up with a big save on the next possession after ERAU controlled the draw after Santella's goal.
  • Another goal and assist from Sophia Wood capped off the 8-0 run by the Lions, holding their largest lead of the day at 14-11 with 4:32 left in the game.
  • Enners gave Embry-Riddle a lifeline when she scored at 4:01 but a two-minute penalty against the Blue and Gold gave possession to the Lions and they finished off with a 14-12 win.

INSIDE THE STATS
UP NEXT
The Eagles will play their regular season finale on Wednesday, April 15, at 12:00 p.m. when they travel to take on Tampa. With a win against the Spartans, ERAU will guarantee themselves a home game in the SSC tournament which begins on Saturday, April 18.
 
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