BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— Hosting the Alliance University Warriors during spring break, the Montreat women's lacrosse team notched a non-conference triumph, defeating its opposition with ease at Pulliam Stadium Monday afternoon. Thanks to a 24-3 victory, the Cavaliers improved to 4-3 on the season.
 
Montreat controlled the contest from the opening draw control as Dovie Yates got the Cavs on the board just 30 seconds into the game. The Cavaliers scored the initial six goals of the matchup as Kate Gauntlett registered a first-quarter hat trick and Mina Hicks and Aleea Bone each notched scores in the first frame to lead 6-0. A pair of Alliance goals sandwiched a strike from Izzy Knight as the Cavs went up 7-2 through 15 minutes.
 
In the second period, Montreat recorded another six straight goals and seven of the eight in the quarter to establish a sizable 15-3 advantage at the half. Yates, Bone and Hicks all completed their hat tricks with two goals at the beginning of the frame to make up the 6-goal run, while Knight and Bone grabbed late scores as the Cavs grew their edge to 12 with 30 minutes to play.
 
The Cavaliers held large advantages in all statistical categories thanks to stretches of uninterrupted possession, contributing to a 25-4 lead in shots, 22-4 edge in shots on target, 13-5 advantage in draw controls, 11 Warrior turnovers, a perfect 7-for-7 run on clear attempts and a 3-1 lead in caused turnovers. Four Cavs collected hat tricks in the first half led by Bone, who scored four, while Gauntlett registered a game-high four assists and seven points with two quarters remaining.
 
Montreat went on to outscore AU (0-3) 9-0 in the second half, including a 5-0 scoreline in the third quarter and a 4-0 result in the final frame of action. Six different goal scorers in the latter portion of the competition powered the Cavaliers to victory as Gauntlett notched the last two of her five tallies to start the quarter.
 
Bone, Knight and Yates closed out the scoring in the third period as the home side led by 17 (20-3) with one quarter remaining. McKinley Edmondson recorded her second and third goals of the year in the fourth, while Hannah Jarboe scored and Yates buried her 20^th of the season and fifth of the game to round out the 24-3 triumph.
 
The Cavs outshot Alliance 37-5 overall and 32-4 on frame. Montreat was perfect on its 11 clear attempts and forced the Warriors into 20 turnovers. A strict defensive effort by the Cavaliers resulted in a 6-for-17 performance on clears for the visitors, and the home team edged its opposition in ground balls (19-13) and held a considerable advantage in draw controls (21-8).
 
Five separate Montreat players registered hat tricks, while Bone, Yates and Gauntlett all ended with five goals. Knight and Hicks also scored three goals. Gauntlett led all players with seven helpers and 12 points; Yates and Knight both added a pair of assists in the rout. Three players (Gauntlett- 41; Bone- 21; Yates- 20) now have at least 20 goals on the year, and five have scored double-digit goals (Hicks- 12; Knight- 11). Gauntlett leads the team with 24 assists and 65 points.
 
Women's lacrosse now has a week off before traveling to Williamsburg, Ky. to face University of the Cumberlands on Wednesday, March 22 at 4:00 p.m.