CLINTON, S.C. – Waking up so to speak on the offensive end of the field and somewhat surprising a northeast visitor who entered Bailey Memorial Stadium for the first time ever on a hot streak, the Presbyterian College lacrosse team was unable to sustain a mid-2^nd advantage on Wednesday night in an 18-10 defeat at the hands of Rider.

Capping the squad's three-game homestand – a stretch of bouts that all occurred within a five-day window – PC constantly had the Broncs on the ropes while going blow-for-blow with an opponent whose only L thus far came against the Oregon Ducks of the Pac-12.

More than meeting its competition level over the first 30 minutes, the Blue Hose couldn't quite put a stamp on the potential upset by the time the dust had settled, sending them towards their final two non-conference affairs outside of Clinton.

Venturing far from the comforts of Bailey Memorial until Big South play comes around, head coach Eric Clakeley's crew will visit Southern New Hampshire this Saturday. Opening draw is scheduled for 1:00 PM in yet another first-time encounter.

 
NOTABLES
 
- The number two seemed to conjoin with Presbyterian throughout the night, as the quartet of Kylie Sullivan, Alyssa Perez, Hannah Savage, and preseason all-leaguer Willow Hammond each hit that figure in the scoring department.

- Spreading out the wealth considerably, PC managed to double up Rider nearing the halfway marker at 6-3 until the trespassers were able to suddenly even things up with little time remaining in the 2^nd.

- A difference of 11-3 post-break was the enabler to the Broncs' victory, although the Blue Hose kept pace with a well-rounded foe by posting only one less shot attempt (29-28).

- Kayleigh Aitken and Naomi Lauderbaugh split their duties at keeper by 30 minutes apiece, adding up for eight stoppages. Furthermore, Presbyterian put together a perfect ratio in clears for the second outing in a row (14-of-14) while forcing Rider into 15 turnovers.

- Eight of the Broncs' successful swings came in a free-position opportunity, battling back and assuming command of the contest by claiming 21 total draws.

- Savage turned in the first multi-goal effort of her young collegiate career in the spirited loss, while Hammond and Sullivan did the same for the 19^th and 11^th times in their own stints respectively.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
- It took well over eight minutes before Rider could muster its first strike as a team that had already established a dangerous offensive threat, faced with an early hole courtesy of Hammond and Sullivan putting in two goals in quick succession.

- The game's next four scores flipped between combatants, allowing the Blue Hose to seize a slim 4-3 edge with 15 minutes gone by.

- Both sides added up for nine goals in the 2^nd period – going down as the busiest frame of the night by a statistical measure – with Perez' 8:26 laser accounting for the aforementioned three-score cushion.

- However, the Broncs would take four of the next five goals before both sides scampered to the locker room, the last two of which came exactly 30 seconds apart and with just six ticks remaining until the horn.

- Rider turned that momentum swing into a 6-2 differential in the 3^rd and 5-1 clip throughout the 4^th, witnessing 10 combined goals from the duo of Selena Carrington and Kylee Garcia.

- Brooke Chandler and Kaylie Rittmueller made up a pair of PC's last three goals, giving the latter seven already in an increasingly-impressive freshman campaign.

- Sullivan led the way for Clakeley's gang by scooping up five ground balls, while six separate players dressed in white were responsible for at least one Rider takeaway.
 

UP NEXT
 
- With just two non-Big South affairs on the radar until Big South terrain, Presbyterian will set their sights on NCAA Division II member Southern New Hampshire over the weekend. The Penmen have a penchant for high offensive numbers, averaging nearly 18 points per game over their first four.

- SNH blasted out of the gates in 2024 with a 21-2 decimation over St. Thomas Aquinas, dropping three straight clashes with D-II ranked opponents since.

- Saturday's duel will be Southern New Hampshire's first home match of the semester, leading PC to another road feature the following Tuesday versus Central Connecticut.