YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — For the second straight season, the Belmont Abbey women's lacrosse team will have an opportunity to play for a conference tournament championship. The Crusaders broke the game open in the third quarter with seven goals and held on over the final 15 minutes to earn a 14-8 win over No. 2 seed Mount Olive Thursday afternoon at the YHC Lacrosse Field.

Kimberleigh Hansberry led Belmont Abbey with four goals while Triniti Cassidy and Abbey McCarthy scored three each for the Crusaders. Summer Eddinger got the win in goal, making nine saves.

It is the first time that Belmont Abbey has defeated Mount Olive in Conference Carolinas Tournament play.

Belmont Abbey improves to 14-5 on the season while Mount Olive closes the season at 11-6.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Crusaders got the scoring started when Kimberleigh Hansberry and Triniti Cassidy less than a minute apart to open the contest.
• After Mount Olive responded with three straight goals, Belmont Abbey outscored the Trojans 5-1 in the second quarter.
• Hansberry and McCarthy accounted for two goals each in the second quarter.
• The Crusaders pushed their lead to nine goals by outscoring the Trojans 7-1 in the third quarter.
• Mount Olive scored three goals in the fourth quarter but the Crusaders forced a pair of turnovers and Eddinger made a save in the closing minutes.
• Belmont Abbey finished with 29 shots, 25 on goal.
• Hansberry finished with six ground balls and Taylor Tobin had two draw controls.
• Addyson Greenspan led the Crusaders with two assists.

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey will face top-seeded Young Harris at 1 p.m. Saturday
• The winner gets the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will claim their first Conference Carolinas Tournament title.