FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Madison Ronelli set the program single-season scoring record as the Methodist women's lacrosse team defeated Averett, 20-6, in the first round of the USA South Tournament at Monarch Stadium on Tuesday evening.
 
Ronellli finished with four goals, one assist, five draw controls and two ground balls. She now has 68 goals on the season, which breaks the previous single-season goal record of 65 goals set by Cassie Walter in 2015. In addition, her 93 points is tied for the single-season record that Methodist Hall of Famer Lauren McGonagle set in 2006.
 
Sarah Ewin and Kaelyn Holland each recorded four goals and two assists, while Emily Brennen had three points on two goals and an assist. Sydney Bonner added three goals, while Monti Hendrix also tallied three scores in addition to her 10 draw controls, six ground balls and three caused turnoves. Hendrix extends her single-season record for draw controls and now has 111 on the year.
 
Hendrix started the scoring for the Monarchs (9-7) at the 29:43 mark before Bonner added her first goal of the day less than a minute later, 2-0. Brennen scored twice in 35 seconds to put MU up 4-0 and Holland scored another 36 seconds later to reach a 5-0 advantage.
 
The Cougars (10-8) got on the board at the 22:57 mark as Elizabeth Peasley was able to score and Abby Taylor added a second strike at 17:47 to cut the deficit to 5-2. A man-up goal from Hendrix with 16:26 left in the half led off a 7-0 scoring run for MU that stretched over nine minutes of play as the Monarchs jumped ahead 12-2.  Alixis Roccia added an unassisted goal at the 5:32 mark before Ronelli put the Monarchs back up by 10 with her record-breaking tally, 13-3, and Holland added one more as MU took a 14-3 lead into halftime.
 
Taylor scored with an assist from Haley Boardway to open the second half before Holland scored with an assist by Ewin to set the score at 15-4. Bonner scored three minutes later with a pass from Holland before Ronelli added another tally to make the score 17-4. The two sides traded goals before MU scored twice in the final two minutes to leave with a 20-6 victory.
 
For Averett, Roccia and Taylor each had two goals, while Rachel Hale and Peasley scored once and Boardway added one assist. Xasia Lewis led the team with three draw controls and Roccia, Hale and Breanne Sawall had three ground balls each.
 
In the cage, Molly O'Hara played nearly 43 minutes and made six saves before Jannelle Gant finished the game and stopped two shots. Sawall made 13 saves for the Cougars in all 60 minutes.
 
Methodist advances to the semifinal round of the USA South Women's Lacrosse Tournament and will play the No. 2 seed, Piedmont, in LaGrange, Georgia, on Friday, April 13, at Callaway Stadium beginning at 1 pm.