DECATUR, Ala. – Friday's NAIA Women's Lacrosse National Championship Game featured two of the NAIA long-standing success stories.
On one side stood the No. 1 ranked Benedictine Women's Lacrosse team standing at 18-0, winners of 39 straight looking to cap off back-to-back championships and win the program's third overall title. Standing between the Ravens and their title hopes, upset-minded No. 3 seed SCAD-Savannah, a program that established a dynasty during the NAIA's invitational days with three straight titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019, but who had yet to enjoy holding the National Championship banner despite being one of program's who have qualified for every NAIA National Championship since the NAIA elevated Women's Lacrosse to Championship status in 2021.
The Ravens completed their undefeated season, handing the Bees their fourth loss of the season, winning 18-10 inside the Jack Allen Sports Complex.
While SCAD battled for control of the game early with Benedictine, trading in back-to-back scoreless possessions, Benedictine finally broke through with just under 12 minutes remaining in the first quarter on Lorelei Siegel's first goal of the game. Nearly a minute later, Kaylen Moore scored on an assist from Alexa Hildenbrand and the game was on. SCAD answered Moore's goal, but the Benedictine offense proved to be too much for SCAD. Siegel scored two more times after a goal from Mackenna Hill and the Ravens pushed their advantage to 5-1 early in the second quarter. Despite matching the Ravens with 9 shots in the first quarter, the Bees couldn't match the offensive possession of the Ravens and by halftime, the Ravens lead stood at 8-3.
Benedictine used 12 third-quarter shots to push through 4 more goals in the third quarter while holding SCAD to just 3 shots in the third as they took command of the championship match up.
Lile Chekas capped off a strong tournament, pushing the Ravens advantage to 10 goals with 5:26 remaining in the game and the route was complete.
The Ravens finished with a 38-24 advantage in shots while the Bees finished with 19 turnovers as Benedictine recorded a total of 16 caused turnovers – their highest total since the April 20 regular-season finale win over Mount Mercy.
Siegel finished the game with 6 goals, followed by Moore with 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists). Hill finished with 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) while Chekas added 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist). Hildenbrand added a goal to 2 assists, while Emma Rushing and Izzie Venarsky scored 1 goal each. Rushing also added 1 assist.
Molly Owen finished the game with 7 saves over 60 minutes to become the program's all-time leading in goalie minutes. Keira Russell finished with 4 draw controls while Rushing and Venarsky added 3 each. Russell also led the way with 4 caused turnovers while Chekas and Rushing finished with 3 each.
Kaylen Moore was named the Tournament MVP, her second straight, and was joined on the All-Tournament team by Siegel, Hildenbrand, Ava Moore and Owen.
Despite over a 10-hour return trip to campus, the team was able to return to Atchison in time for Saturday's Commencement Ceremony where the program was recognized to open up the Ceremony and seniors Chanterra Allen, Kaylen Moore, Regan Engle, Molly Owen and Kiera Russell were able to join their fellow Class of 2026 classmates in walking across stage inside the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium – championship trophy, championship banner and sections of goal net in hand!
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