NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox women's lacrosse team came out firing in their non-conference match against a Willamette team that topped the NWC preseason coaches poll, outpacing the Bearcats from start to finish in a dominant win, 19-9.

How It Happened
The Bruins wasted no time setting the tone, as Lana Davis capitalized on a free-position shot just 90 seconds into the game to open the scoring. Claire Abraham followed suit just 30 seconds later, slotting home a shot off a Morgan Maxfield assist to extend Fox's lead. Willamette answered with their first goal minutes later, but the Bruins' relentless attack kept them in control of the game. Abraham and freshman Merrick Gibson strung together two more quick goals before the Bearcats found the net again. Still unfettered, Fox responded with a 3-1 scoring in the final five minutes of the quarter, widening the gap, 7-3.

The Bearcats tested Fox's defense in the early stages of the second quarter, but the Bruin backline held firm, refusing to let Willamette find a hole. Once Fox regained field position, they capitalized instantly. Gibson converted a free-position shot to further build the lead. Willamette responded with a free-position goal of their own, before the period turned into a back-and-forth tussle for several minutes. Fox finally broke through again in the tenth minute when Maxfield found the net off a perfectly placed pass from Bluhm. Moments later, Gibson forced a turnover and struck again, before Abraham tacked on another goal just before halftime, sending Fox into the break with a commanding lead, 11-5.

The third quarter saw an increase in physicality, with both teams drawing several fouls near the goal. Gibson struck first for Fox off an assist from Sasha Thayer, but Willamette retaliated with two straight free-possession goals to cut the deficit to five. Fox then lost Lana Davis for two minutes due to a yellow card, but the defense remained impenetrable — highlighted by a clutch save from goalkeeper Myah Clark. Once Davis was released, she wasted no time making an impact, scoring almost immediately to regain momentum for Fox. Davis would tack on one more before the quarter ended, keeping the Bruins comfortably ahead heading into the final period, 14-8.

The Bruins put the game away with a commanding fourth-quarter performance, sealing their victory with precision at both ends of the field. George Fox capitalized on a man-up opportunity early in the period, with Ava Bluhm netting another free-position goal. Claire Abraham and Merrick Gibson then added to the scoring surge, while the Bruins' defense remained suffocating, forcing several turnovers and limiting Willamette's opportunities. Even after playing shorthanded due to a red card late in the game, the Bruins remained in control, stringing together three unanswered goals to close out the game in an emphatic victory, 19-9.

Top Performers
Freshman Merrick Gibson was electric for the second straight game, leading Fox's offense with six goals. Claire Abraham impressed with five goals on the night, while Lana Davis and Ava Bluhm each finished with a hat-trick. Sasha Thayer was also a crucial part of the offensive effort, leading the team with four assists.

Defensively, goalkeeper Myah Pack ended the day with five saves, while Lana Davis collected a team-high four ground balls and won five draw controls. 

What It Means
The Bruins pick up their second straight non-conference win of the season, while Willamette records their first loss to fall to 1-1 on the year. For a team that was picked to place below Willamette in the pre-season, the Bruins sure handled business tonight. 

Coach's Thoughts
"Incredibly proud of these players," said Bruins head coach Jordyn Merkel. "This win truly took all 18 of them putting in the work. We played a good team, but the players are not ready to give up their conference title."

What Comes Next
The Bruins will play another non-conference home game, this time against the Sewanee Tigers, on Saturday, March 8th. The match is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.