CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College lacrosse team engaged in the highest-scoring contest to involve the Blue Hose in eleven years, remarkably never losing the lead in a match that totaled 39 goals. PC emerged victorious in a Tuesday marathon versus Mercyhurst at home, landing a 20-19 triumph.

Producing six scores in the first period and staying a step ahead of the Lakers with 10 connections in the second half, the Scotsmen rode the momentum of seniors Kenzie Partsch and Willow Hammond who nabbed five goals apiece.

The last time that Presbyterian competed in a game that featured at least 39 goals: April of 2014 against St. Mary's (California). This comes just two days after the Blue Hose torched Delaware State for a 12-point W, the program's largest margin of victory in nine seasons.

A new school record has been established for head coach Eric Clakeley's gang, assembling 38 total goals in the last two encounters. That's the most over a two-game stretch that PC has ever seen in the team's near 20-year history.


 
NOTABLES
 
- Coming into Tuesday's shootout with two goals on the year, Partsch pieced together a career-high five goals against Mercyhurst. Presby needed each of those hits, especially considering that the Pennsylvania native grabbed two of them in the final period.

- With PC's offense soaring to new heights over the last 48 hours, they were able to keep the Lakers at bay with eight different players scoring at least once.

- The entirety of Tuesday's thriller at Bailey Memorial Stadium was played within a five-point window, with the Blue Hose avoiding a game-closing 5-1 Mercyhurst run thanks to some late-game dramatics.

- Freshman keeper Morgan Thompson offered a breakout performance after entering the field in the 2^nd quarter, saving seven shots and preventing the game from going into overtime with the last of those stoppages happening with 77 seconds on the clock.

- Falling behind early and playing catch-up for nearly all 60 minutes, Mercyhurst managed to tie up the score on four separate occasions but were never able to wrestle the lead away from Thompson and her bend-don't-break defense.

- The fifth goal from Partsch with just over three minutes left was ultimately the play that enabled the Blue Hose to win the match in regulation, weathering a 4^th-quarter storm by the Lakers to win their second game in a row.


 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
- Both of sophomore Kaylie Rittmueller's goals on Tuesday came less than four minutes into proceedings. With Presby holding a 3-0 edge in the early stages, Mercyhurst responded by scoring the next three only for coach Clakeley's club to deliver a counter strike and go back up 6-3.

- Fast forward to the second stanza, and the score remained at arm's length thanks to a couple of Laker goals in the last 2:41 of the opening half.

- No matter how hard Mercyhurst pursued them in the hostile environment, the Blue Hose would always find a way to keep possession of the lead. They'd outscore the visitors in the 3^rd by a 5-4 count, a pivotal number considering the final margin.

- Partsch, Hammond, and senior Brooke Chandler catalogued three unanswered scores in the last quarter to give the Blue Hose their largest advantage (19-14). Just as they had all evening, Mercyhurst wouldn't let the Scotsmen slam the door just yet.

- The Lakers piled up four goals in succession over the next four minutes, creating some doubt for a jiffy. That is, until Partsch finished off her career-best showing with an ultra-clutch make just 27 seconds later.

- Thompson gummed the last attempt from the opponent with fewer than two minutes on the board, helping PC grasp the win on a night where the difference in draw controls was 22-21.

- There were a grand total of 70 shots in Tuesday's helter-skelter meeting, as the Blue Hose attack continues to swelter as of late.


 
UP NEXT
 
- Presbyterian is now halfway through their six-game March homestand, anticipating their next challenger on Friday when Detroit Mercy comes to Clinton.

- Opening draw is slated for 3:00 PM later this week, scouting a Titans foe who has currently won back-to-back matches themselves against Canisius and Kennesaw State by five apiece.