Elon Phoenix Clinch CAA Tournament Berth Over Towson
Elon — May 18, 2024 — The Elon Phoenix women’s lacrosse team secured a place in the CAA Tournament with a dominant win over Towson. The game saw the Phoenix excel in the second half, after initial back-and-forth action, to secure the victory. With key player performances, the team’s ability to find the open spots was critical to this dominant win.
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Elon Phoenix Clinch CAA Tournament Berth with Dominating Win Over Towson
Elon, N.C. – The Elon University women’s lacrosse team secured its place in the CAA Tournament on Saturday with a decisive 16-8 victory over the Towson Tigers. While the first half saw a tightly contested match, the Phoenix took flight in the second half, leaving no doubt about their determination to win.
Key Players Shine in Victory
- Ana Lee Vandiver: The redshirt sophomore attacker led the charge with an impressive five-goal performance.
- Sammy Fisher: The senior tallied six points, contributing four goals and two assists to the Phoenix’s dominant performance.
For Vandiver and Fisher, the key to success was maintaining focus and staying on schedule throughout the game.
Did You Know?
Elon’s women’s lacrosse team has a rich history of success in the CAA, consistently competing for top honors. The CAA Tournament berth marks another milestone in their journey.
Coach’s Corner: Strategy and Teamwork
According to Vandiver,the team’s success stemmed from a collective effort and attention to detail.
What we wanted to do today was play a full 60 minutes, and I think we were able to do that.Going into halftime, we just needed to hold ourselves accountable with the small things. Whether it was talking, spacing or moving the ball around quicker. most of our goals were assisted, which showed we were able to thrive off of each other’s successes.
Ana Lee Vandiver
Fisher emphasized the importance of assistant coach Katie Brodsky’s message to the team.
She always says play with house money. We needed to have no care in the world for anything else when on that field.
Sammy Fisher
Game Highlights: A Tale of Two Halves
The game initially appeared to be a high-scoring affair, with both teams netting four goals in the first quarter and two in the second. Fisher quickly put Elon ahead with two early goals, but Towson’s Milana zizakovic responded with four goals in a 12-minute span.
However, the Phoenix found an answer to Zizakovic’s scoring spree, shutting her down after an assist early in the second quarter. The halftime break proved to be a turning point, as Elon came out firing in the third quarter.
Vandiver scored three goals in a minute and a half to start the second half, fueling a 7-0 run by the Phoenix in the third quarter.
Pro Tip
Maintaining momentum is crucial in lacrosse. Teams that can capitalize on scoring runs and sustain defensive pressure frequently enough come out on top.
Maintaining Focus: The Key to Victory
Vandiver highlighted the team’s ability to adjust their strategy based on Towson’s defensive formations.
I think it was the momentum that we had going into halftime, and knowing we had to step on the gas pedal a bit more. All of my goals were assisted, which shows the support and chemistry we have together, but once we were able to move as a unit, we were able to see those open spots. Towson kept switching between man and zone so we had to acknowledge that our mindset needed to change for each offensive set we had.
Ana Lee Vandiver
Fisher emphasized the importance of staying focused on the process rather then the score.
It was really critically important that we never looked at the score once. It was always 0-0 in that third quarter. Even when we went up, we didn’t pay attention to it. It’s critically important that we don’t gauge the score when we play.
Sammy Fisher
Looking Ahead: CAA Tournament and Beyond
With the win, the Phoenix secured a spot in the 2025 CAA Tournament, marking a important achievement for the program. the team views this year’s qualification differently than last year’s,emphasizing the growth and improvement they have experienced.
It’s definitely different than last year. It wasn’t an overtime win, and we have two more games. We also already know we’re going to the tournament. It’s nice to have that backbone, but it’s also a great motivator. It allows us to recognize that we’ve gotta keep getting better. The next two games will be great for us to fix things, so that we can be tournament ready.
