GREENVILLE, S.C. – Freshman
Lily Toole scored a game high four goals and added an assist to lead the Furman women's lacrosse team past the Old Dominion Monarchs, 11-9, in the 2025 season opener Friday evening at Paladin Stadium.
Furman improves to 1-0 on the season while Old Dominion drops its first contest of the year and falls to 2-1 overall.
Toole, a native of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., was making her collegiate debut on Friday and paced the Paladin offense with five points on her game high four goals while adding one assist. Preseason Big South Offensive Player of the Year,
Anna Roser, and
Paige Harman both contributed three points on two goals and an assist.
Sofija Buzelis, a preseason All-Big South pick, netted two goals.
Nadine Galiano scored once and
Rachel Ward dished out an assist in their Furman debuts.
Caroline Smith, also making her first collegiate appearance, won four draws and
Molly Faul picked up three ground balls to go with two caused turnovers.
Audrey Smith also caused two turnovers.
In goal,
Sailor Henderson set a new career high with 10 saves highlighted by five during a fourth quarter that saw her allow just one goal.
Furman trailed 4-3 at halftime before coming out in the third quarter and scoring four goals in the less than six minutes from Harman, Buzelis, Galiano, and Toole. Toole's second goal of the contest gave the Paladins their largest lead of the game, 7-4, at the 9:32 mark. The Monarchs rallied back to within a goal three times before Furman answered in the fourth with a pair of goals from Roser and Toole to give it an 11-8 advantage with 4:54 left in regulation.
Old Dominion attempted seven shots in the final quarter but saw Henderson, making only her second career start in goal, compile five saves.
Sarah Murrell paced the Monarchs with a hat trick while Alex Kulinski and Callie Culhane added three points apiece on two goals and an assist. Goalie Brynn Bowen finished with one save.
The Paladins forced Old Dominion into 17 turnovers and concluded the contest with 13 ground balls and eight draws.
Furman hits the road for the first time this season next Saturday, February 22, traveling to Kennesaw State for a 2 p.m. opening draw.
