BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb picked up a 15-11 win on Senior Day against Longwood to continue their best season in school history. The win clinched a spot in the Big South Tournament for the Runnin' Bulldogs as they picked up their fifth win in Big South play. Lauren Deaver led the team in points scoring six, setting a school record in single-season assists (24).
 
In addition to Deaver breaking a record, Jada Preston now owns the single-season points record after getting her 63rd of 2022. Danielle Also, Danielle Burke set the single-season groundball record collecting her 56th of the year.
 
The game started with Longwood netting the first score, 45 seconds into it. The teams traded quick pairs of goals before GWU went on to tally three unanswered, giving themselves a 5-3 lead early in the second quarter. The Lancers had another two goals, but Preston's score with 4:09 left before halftime gave the 'Dogs a 6-5 advantage heading into the break. All six Runnin' Bulldogs goals were scored by different players.
 
After the half, just twenty seconds into the resumption of play, Longwood broke even again with GWU, as Haley Moomau scored LU's sixth of the day. The Lancers claimed an 8-7 lead with 6:34 left in the third, their first in over thirty minutes of action.
 
Gardner-Webb went on to score five unanswered, three in the third quarter to reclaim the lead, and two in the fourth to push the team's advantage to the highest it had been all day for either team, four. Preston provided the go-ahead goal after Bria Foley tied it a couple of minutes prior.
 
Both teams traded goals for the remaining 13 minutes of action, but Longwood was unable to pull any closer than three to Gardner-Webb.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs had eight different goal scorers with four having multiple tallies. Deaver led the team in goals scored four on the day, and Foley had three. Preston and Aimie Perino ended the day with two each. Eilish Gately, Ciarra Ashworth, Jessica Vetter, and Reese Jones had one apiece.
 
Of the 15 goals that were scored, eight of them were off assists. Deaver, Perino, and Brittany Sherrod finished the game with two. Preston and Vetter each added one.
 
In cage, Burke got the start, collecting seven saves. Burke allowed 11 saves, lowing her goals allowed average for the fifth consecutive game. The average is now at 12.46.
 
Gardner-Webb was able to scoop many of the groundballs off their saved and missed shots, leading to extra offensive possessions. The 'Dogs finished the game with a 29-11 advantage in the category. Deaver and Burke led the team with six, and Lauren Connor had three. Four players recorded two each, and another four had one apiece.
 
Longwood turned the ball over 22 times with 13 of these being directly caused by GWU. Vetter, Connor, Heather Lobas, and Maddie Martin all finished the day with two. Burke, Sherrod, Jones, Preston, and Grace Briggs had one each.
 
GWU lost the draw control battle overall, but Martin tied for the individual lead in the category with eight on the day. Deaver had three, and Gately had one.
 
Gardner-Webb will turn its attention to the final game of the regular season, which is Wednesday, April 27 at 4:00 p.m. against High Point (6-1). The Runnin' Bulldogs will also play in the first round of the Big South Tournament on Saturday, April 30. The location for the games will be at campus sites as the #3 and #4 teams will each host their matchups for the round. The semifinals and finals for the event will be contested the following weekend at High Point.