Mercer Defeats Furman To Advance To Big South Tournament Championship Game

Friday, May 1

Macon, Ga.

4 p.m.

Mercer University

12-6, 8-0

Furman

10-9, 5-3

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Furman	2	1	2	3	8
Mercer	2	7	4	3	16

Mercer Defeats Furman To Advance To Big South Tournament Championship Game

5/1/2026 10:20:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Bears will look to win 5th straight Big South Tournament Championship on Sunday

MACON, Ga. – Caroline Glus, the Big South Offensive Player of the Year, scored five goals to lead the Mercer women's lacrosse team to a 16-8 win over the Furman Paladins Friday evening in the Big South Tournament semifinals from Five Star Stadium in Macon, Georgia.

With the win, the Bears advance to their fifth straight Big South Tournament championship game where they will meet the High Point Panthers.

After a slow start offensively, Mercer would go on to have the better of play for the rest of the game as shots were 44-24. The Bears were once again excellent on the draw control as Mercer won 17-of-26 draws behind Ayla Galloway's game high 11 draw controls.

Mercer fell behind, 2-0, but would then go on a 12-1 run to take command of the game. Other than a game high five goals from Glus, Maya Maldonado was the only other Mercer player to score at least three goals in the game as she finished with three goals for her second hat trick of the season. Ansley Walters, the Big South Midfielder of the Year was excellent in the midfield for the Bears finishing with two goals, one assist, three draw controls and two caused turnovers.

Walters was one of five Mercer players to finish with two caused turnovers. Mercer as a team had 15 cause turnovers. Mackenzie Ward was strong in goal for the Bears as she totaled 12 saves with a .600 save percentage.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling behind by two goals, Walters and Glus each scored to tie the game at two. Both defenses played well in the opening 15 minutes as the score remained 2-2 after the first quarter.

Sofia D'Angelo and Abbi Rupnow scored within the first two minutes of the second quarter for the Bears to give Mercer a 4-2 lead. After Furman got within one goal, Mercer would score five unanswered goals to close out the half on top, 9-3. Five different players scored a goal during the 5-0 run for Mercer.

Maldonado scored her second goal of the game, followed by Glus' third and fourth goals of the game as Mercer started to pull away and took a 12-3 lead. Walters scored Mercer's last goal of the third quarter with under two minutes to go in the period, followed shortly after by a goal from Furman's Lily Toole as Mercer led, 13-5 after three quarters.

Both teams scored three goals in the fourth quarter. Glus scored her fifth goal of the game in the quarter, Maldonado scored her third goal and Abby Vane her second as Mercer finished off a solid win over Furman.

NOTABLES

With the win, Mercer advances to its fifth straight Big South Tournament championship game.
After falling behind 2-0 to start the game, Mercer went on a 12-1 run to take control of the game.
Caroline Glus led all players with five goals and now has a Big South best 61 goals on the year.
Mackenzie Ward finished with a career high 12 saves and a .600 save percentage.
Draw controls were 17-9, Mercer.
Defensively, Mercer had 15 caused turnovers, its most in its last four games.
Five different Mercer players had at least two caused turnovers.
Maya Maldoado scored her second hat trick of the season.

UP NEXT
Mercer will meet High Point in the Big South Tournament championship game on Sunday. First draw is at noon eastern from Five Star Stadium.

FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of Mercer Women's Lacrosse, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerWLAX (Twitter) and @Mercerwlax (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.