ROME, Ga. | Young Harris College used a strong first half as the Mountain Lions defeated Shorter University 18-5 in a Gulf South Conference women's lacrosse match Saturday (April 16) evening at Ben Brady Field.
 
With the win, the Mountain Lions claimed the inaugural Gulf South Conference title as they improved to 11-5 overall and to 3-0 in the GSC. Shorter University fell to 5-11 and 1-2.  The 11 wins matches last season's total for the most in the program's history. The women's lacrosse team is the second YHC team to win a league title this year, joining the men's soccer squad that won the Peach Belt title in the fall.
 
Both teams will return to action Friday (April 22) when they will compete at the Gulf South Invitational Tournament hosted by Young Harris at the YHC Soccer and Lacrosse Field. Shorter, who will be the No. 3 seed, will face No. 2 seed University of Alabama in Huntsville in one semifinal while the top-seeded Mountain Lions will entertain No. 4 seed University of Montevallo in the other one. Times will be announced by the league office.
 
Young Harris outshot the Hawks 23-6 in the opening 30 minutes as the Mountain Lions took a 10-2 halftime lead. Shorter got within seven at 11-4, but the Mountain Lions were not to be denied the league title as they scored seven of the final eight goals in the match, holding Shorter scoreless for the final 20:11 of the contest.
 
Kendra Parenteau and Nicole Kernohan led the Mountain Lions with four goals apiece while Katie McNutt added three more. Erika Cross scored twice and Maddie Peek, Rachel Lepine, Kaylynn Roach, Channing Milford and Taylor Lincoln added a goal each.
 
Jaclyn Kernohan led YHC with three assists while Sarah Bialecki and Parenteau added two each. Nicole Kernohan, Lepine and Peek also tallied an assist.
 
Cross recorded four draw controls while Meghan Tonnesen added three more. Lepine scooped up four ground balls for the Mountain Lions while Ivey Franklin, Elli Flaig, Parenteau and Cross accounted for three apiece.
 
Julia Darroch stopped 11 shots in goal for the Mountain Lions.