SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford women's lacrosse team kicked off the spring with a big season-opening win over the visiting Akron Zips (1-1), 14-9, at Gibbs Stadium on Friday evening. Seven different Terriers scored throughout the game, as Wofford used a four-goal third quarter to pull away and hold off the Zips for its first win of the season.
 
The 14-goal output matches a season-opening high last set in a season-opening win against Presbyterian on Feb. 16, 2019 at 14-13.
 
Additionally, the victory marks the first at Gibbs Stadium for head coach Kim Orie Eldridge.
 
Junior Emma Gentile led the Terriers with a career-high performance of six points on three goals and assists apiece, in addition to four draw controls and two ground balls. Senior Elisabeth Ralph tallied four goals and four ground balls each to follow, while classmate Shannon Wulff matched a career-best four-point performance in recording three assists along with a goal and pair of ground balls.
 
Junior Olivia Abé added a pair of assists and a goal, as senior Ally Furnari net two goals. Emma Krasinski added two goals while freshman Carley Irvin net her first career goal as Terrier, along with recording five ground balls to round out Wofford's scoring on the evening.
 
Freshman Kirsten Flannigan recorded team-highs of six ground balls, five draw controls and four caused turnovers in her Wofford debut. Addison Witkowski notched a career-high with two caused turnovers in addition to three ground balls, as Emma Seif contributed with a caused turnover and three ground balls as well.
 
Junior Aislinn Washburn recorded the win with 11 saves in goal, including seven in the fourth quarter to defend Wofford's lead for the victory. 
 
The Terriers finished the contest with advantage in shots, 30-28, and ground balls, 30-24.
 
The Terriers and Zips traded goals throughout the opening six minutes of play in the first, seeing goals from Olivia Abé and Carley Irvin prior to Emma Gentile firing a shot in unassisted to reclaim a lead at 3-2. Gentile's score sparked a two-goal spurt shortly after, as the junior then dished to Elisabeth Ralph for a nifty over-the-shoulder shot that snuck past Akron goalie Ashley Lapp for a 4-2 edge. Gentile then capitalized on a free-position attempt, finding the back of the net to cap the first quarter with a 5-2 advantage.
 
Akron climbed back with the next two goals to open the second, 5-4, though, Gentile fed Emma Krasinski for her first goal of the season to spark a 3-0 run that'd hand Wofford an 8-4 lead with 8:27 remaining in the half. Gentile then fed Ralph before Shannon Wulff capped the run on a free-position shot. In the midst of the run, the Terriers had held Akron scoreless since the 13:20 mark of the quarter, as Akron's Alexis Kiefer (team-high three goals) broke the drought with 11 seconds left to trim Wofford's lead by the intermission, 8-5.
 
Out of the break, things were dormant up until Elisabeth Ralph poured in the next two goals, zipping in a free-position shot before Abé dimed Ralph for her first helper of the year at 10-5. The Zips would net in a free-position shot, as the Terriers responded resiliently in seeing Krasinski and Ally Furnari find the net to increase Wofford's lead to 12-6 heading into the fourth.
 
Goals from Gentile and Furnari summoned an eight-point cushion, 14-6, with 10:14 remaining, as the Terriers and Aislinn Washburn held steady defensively throughout the frame, seeing a trio of Akron goals come in late, though, the Zips ultimately would run out of time to see Wofford come away with the 14-9 margin at the end of regulation.
 
The Terriers return to action next week, traveling to Durham, N.C., for their first road test against the ACC's Duke on Thursday, Feb. 24. Opening draw is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start to be broadcast on the ACC Digital Network Extra.