HARRISONBURG, Va. - The crowd was rowdy, the seniors were celebrated and the EMU lacrosse team finished the 2022 season on a high note.

Behind big days from Amber Bonds and Skylar Hedgepeth, along with a dominant second-half defense, the Royals picked up a 16-5 win over Hollins in their final game of the season. 

Highlights

• Bonds got the scoring started early for EMU. Less than a minute and a half into the game, she took a pass from Grace Hughes and beat the Hollins keeper, putting EMU on top 1-0. Cristal Narciso came up with a pair of saves but HU was able to knot things at one with 5:14 left in the quarter. Hollins took the lead toward the end of the quarter but EMU responded right back with less than 20 seconds left in the period. After a draw control by Courtney Crawford, Bonds put another one past the goalkeeper for her second goal of the quarter, tying things at two. 
• At the 10:24 mark of the second, KC Argueta-Rivas put EMU ahead with her first goal of the game. Bonds followed that up, hitting the hat trick with 10:09 to play in the first half. Her goal gave EMU a 4-2 lead, which they wouldn't relinquish. Hollins cut the Royals lead to one less than a minute later but the Royals responded with two quick goals, just 45 seconds apart. The first came with EMU a man down after a Royals foul. But it didn't matter as Hedgepeth took a pass from Crawford and buried it for the goal. Crawford then picked up a goal of her own, giving EMU a 6-3 lead. Hughes would add a goal and Bonds picked up two more, while EMU's defense held Hollins to just one goal in the final 3:43 of the half to take a commanding 9-4 lead into the break. 
• Hedgepeth scored on a free-position shot to start the Royals offense in the third quarter and Bonds followed that up two minutes later with her sixth of the game, giving EMU an 11-4 lead. Zyeasha D. Ba got in on the scoring fun, picking up her first goal of the season with 7:41 to play in the third. Two more goals, this time from Crawford and Hedgepeth, gave EMU a running clock and an 11 goal lead, 14-3, heading to the fourth. 
• Hughes and Argueta-Rivas finished up the scoring for EMU in the fourth, adding goals 15 and 16. The EMU defense, anchored by senior Molly King, had a huge second half, holding Hollins to just one goal and only seven shots in the second half. Narciso finished the game with eight saves. 
• Offensively, Bonds' six goals were a career-high, to go along with a career-high 11 shots on goal. Hedgepeth's three were also a career-high for the senior. She also finished with a season-high four groundballs and two caused turnovers. In all, six different Royals scored on the night and all eight players, except the goalkeeper, had a shot. 

Postgame Interview With Coach Katie Russo and A. Bonds

What's Next

This was the final game for EMU and for seniors Hedgepeth and King. The Royals will return the core of their lineup for the 2023 season and will look to add numbers.

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the lacrosse program this year follow EMU on Twitter and Instagram, like EMU Athletics on Facebook or visit our website.