CLARKESVILLE, Tenn. – Gardner-Webb (0-1) women's lacrosse opened the 2026 season with a narrow 15-14 loss at Austin Peay (1-0) on Saturday, February 7 inside Fortera Stadium.
Making her collegiate debut, freshman midfielder Maddie Tredway led the Runnin' Bulldogs with a game-high five goals to go along with an assist. Senior midfielder Emma Duchscherer posted three goals and an assist for four points. Sophomore attack Jules Brown led GWU with a pair of helpers on the afternoon.
On the defensive side of the ball, Abby Consaul and Jazmyn Morris picked up three caused turnovers and four groundballs each. Morris added a team-high two draw controls. Junior keeper Emma Anderson finished the contest with nine total saves in 60 minutes of action.
After the Governors posted the first goal of the game, Gardner-Webb came back with three straight from three different players while taking a two-goal advantage with four minutes evaporated off the first period clock. Austin Peay tallied two of the final three goals in the first.
Duchscherer opened the second with a score before a quick 3-1 run by the Dawgs put the visitors ahead 8-4. However, the Govs owned the remaining three minutes of the half, outscoring GWU 3-0 but trailed at halftime, 8-7.
That scoring run continued into the second half as Austin Peay regained the lead after posting the first four goals of the third period, building an 11-8 advantage. Back-to-back goals from McKensie Gehris and Tredway closed the deficit to 11-10 before APU's Samantha Houttekier tallied the final goal of the quarter.
Tredway notched her third goal of the game less than a minute into the fourth, but Austin Peay cushioned its lead to 15-11 at the 10:20 mark of the fourth. Tredway sparked a 3-0 spurt by the Runnin' Bulldogs with a pair of goals down the stretch but Ella Grace Bishop has her shot saved with 30 seconds remaining while allowing Austin Peay to walk away with the 15-14 win.
Gardner-Webb returns to the field on Wednesday, February 11, traveling to Buies Creek, N.C. to take on the Fighting Camels of Campbell. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
