Buena Vista, VA - With the postseason now in full swing, the Southern Virginia University women's lacrosse team took care of business in the first round of the USA South Tournament against Brevard College.

Thanks to an eight goal first quarter, the Knights rode an early, comfortable lead, to end the Tornados season with a 22-5 victory.

Mackenzie Mickelsen and Sydney Bastian scored on the Knight's first two possessions to assert control. They continued to pepper the Tornados goal and caused several turnovers to end the opening frame with a 8-2 advantage.

The second quarter followed a similar trend, but Brevard was the first to find the back of the net. They cut the deficit to 8-4, but Ellie Patterson scored two quick goals to regain the momentum. Eventually, three straight goals while a player down helped Southern Virginia to a double-digit lead by the end of the half.

Head Coach Olivia Cope's defensive crew shut the door in the second half as they allowed just one Brevard goal the rest of the way. The scoring slowed, but the Knights had already produced plenty to coast all the way to the final buzzer.

Savanna Burnett had a superb outing in net, making eight saves to keep the Tornados attack at bay during several dangerous possessions. She also only allowed one free position goal on five attempts. Offensively, Mia Richards tied a career high with four points while Patterson led the team with six goals and ten points.

Sydney Bastian was a monster defensively, providing great energy from the opening draw and leading both teams with five caused turnovers. It's the second time this season the Knights have held Brevard to just five goals.

Up Next

The USA South semifinal is now calling Southern Virginia's name. The Knights have won at least one tournament game each season since joining the USA South, but they'll look to make it two against top seeded Meredith, the reigning tournament champions. The game will take place on Meredith's home turf, Thursday, May 1st, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightwlax on Instagram.