CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College lacrosse team put the finishing touches on their 2024 home schedule against a nearby South Carolina rival, battling back from a sluggish opening to take a three-score edge in the 3^rd against Winthrop. Unfortunately for PC, the Eagles went on a three-to-zero 4^th-quarter spree to steal an 11-9 decision on Wednesday evening.

In the penultimate encounter of the semester, head coach Eric Clakeley's club secured eight of the game's 10 goals between the 6:06 stamp of the 1^st and the 5:25 mark of the 3^rd.

Presby's slow start came back to haunt them by the time the dust had cleared, with Winthrop closing the duel on a 5-0 flurry that included the game-tying strike with 9:17 left and an insurance goal with 56 ticks to go.

Now awaiting their '24 curtain call, PC will take a short visit to Wofford this Saturday that will wrap things up in Clakeley's fifth campaign in charge. Opening draw in Spartanburg is scheduled for 1:00 PM on the 27^th.

 
NOTABLES
 
- Combating keepers Naomi Lauderbaugh and Emma Calhoun were the respective defensive MVP's in the midweek skirmish, both recording nine saves as PC earned a 27-24 cushion in shot attempts.

- In her final appearance at Bailey Memorial Stadium across an exceptional record-breaking tenure with the blue and garnet, Abby Edmisten found one score in either half while Alyssa Perez, Emma Claire Mills, and Kaylie Rittmueller equaled that number with two total goals.

- Winthrop corralled 13 of the game's 23 draws, although coughing the ball up 17 times against PC's back line of Juliana San Lucas, Avery West, Miranda Castilla, and Olivia Ballard.

- PC was able to connect on just four of their 11 free-position opportunities, held to only nine looks at the net in the final 30 minutes compared to 18 such tries in the first half.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
- The Eagles doubled up Presbyterian in the feeling-out stage, reaching a 6-3 advantage after the opening period. Two of those swings by the Scotsmen were driven in by Mills, now at 11 goals on the season as a rookie.

- Clakeley's club went into a different gear on the defensive end of the field once the 2^nd stanza started, holding Winthrop without a single score in that quarter and for a total stretch of 31 minutes and 18 seconds.

- Four different Blue Hose players notched a goal during the aforementioned 6-0 burst, turning what was a three-score hole into the exact opposite (a three-goal differential in their favor).

- To Presbyterian's dismay, the see-saw nature of the Palmetto clash continued following Edmisten's 3^rd-quarter blow that put her squad ahead 9-6. PC was held scoreless for the last 20 minutes of Wednesday's affair, witnessing two Eagle goals in the last 86 seconds of the 3^rd and a 3-0 tally from then on.

- Kylie Sullivan conjured up three ground balls and three caused turnovers in her last showing at Bailey Memorial, while Edmisten and Willow Hammond combined for 13 of Presbyterian's shots throughout the contest.

 
UP NEXT
 
- The Blue Hose will look to repeat last year's 12-8 triumph in Clinton against Wofford by coming to the Terriers' domain on Saturday, continuing an all-time series that is dead-even at three wins apiece.

- Wofford has captured a trio of W's against Big South enemies, although dropping a 21-13 decision to Mercer on Wednesday as the Bears remain on their path to an undefeated league season for the third straight time.

- The Terriers have yet to win a divisional match on their home turf, as ESPN+ will provide the broadcast for the season's final act.