HUNTSVILLE, Ala. | Maddie Peek scored with 6:07 remaining was the difference as Young Harris College held on for a 13-12 Gulf South Conference women's lacrosse victory over the University of Alabama in Huntsville Saturday (April 21) afternoon at Charger Park.

With the win, the Mountain Lions clinched their third consecutive GSC regular-season title as YHC improved to 11-5 overall and to 7-0 in the league, while UAH fell to 12-4 and 6-2. By virtue of the victory, Young Harris will host the GSC Invitational Tournament Friday and Sunday (April 27 and 29) at the YHC Soccer and Lacrosse Field. The Mountain Lions will wrap up their regular season tomorrow (April 22) with a 1 p.m. Central time match against the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama.

The Mountain Lions took quick command of the match as they opened up 6-1 lead on a goal by Nicole Kernohan with 13:17 left in the first half. Kernohan had three of the goals for YHC during the opening surge, while Hayley Bartlett scored twice and Rachel Lepine accounted for the other score.

It would be the last score for the Mountain Lions for the next 20 minutes as the Chargers scored eight unanswered goals to take an 8-6 lead with 23:35 remaining in the contest after Abbey O'Brien scored the last of her four consecutive goals.

Kernohan, who led the Mountain Lions with eight goals, kickstarted a Mountain Lion streak of four unanswered goals 52 seconds later. Peek followed with a goal of her own before Kernohan deposited two more in the back of the net to give YHC a 10-8 lead with 17:42 left. 

UAH sandwiched three goals around another Kernohan strike to tie the game at 11 with 9:31 to go. O'Brien scored with 7:24 left  for the Chargers to give them a 12-11 lead, before Peek took the ensuing draw control and Kernohan tied the match at 12 20 seconds later off an Erika Cross pass. Peek gave the Mountain Lions the lead for good at 13-12 on a free-position shot with 6:07 remaining.

It would be the final score for either team as the Mountain Lions held the Chargers without a shot and forced UAH into five turnovers.

Cross led the Mountain Lions with four assists, while Bartlett and Anna Luckie added two apiece.

Young Harris held a 17-10 advantage on draw controls, while UAH held margins in shots (34-27) and ground balls (33-21).

Lepine led the Mountain Lions with nine draw controls, while Meghan Tonnesen had four more. Lepine and Kelsey Dover each scooped up four ground balls, while Kirsten Barth corralled three more. 

Julia Darroch turned away 13 shots in goal for the Mountain Lions.