The Keiser (Fla.) Seahawks Are Flying into the Semifinals After Defeating the Reinhardt (Ga.) Eagles
DECATU, Ala. – [Watch On-Demand] The Keiser (Fla.) Seahawks (16–3) used a dominant second-half surge to pull away from the Reinhardt (Ga.) Eagles (11–4), rolling to a 17–7 win Monday afternoon in the second NAIA Women’s Lacrosse Quarterfinal game of the day at Jack Allen Sports Complex.
RU struck first and briefly controlled the early flow, building a 3–2 lead late in the opening quarter behind goals from Mary Grace Lewis, Miranda Petrillo (assist from Hayley Rakestraw), and Lainey Byrne (assist from Petrillo). KU answered with finishes from MacKenzie Gibaud and Isabelle Vrensen to keep it tight after one.
The Eagles extended the margin early in the second when Izzy Prestia scored off another Rakestraw feed to make it 4–2 with 5:29 left in the half. From there, momentum flipped. The Seahawks closed the half on a 3–0 run — two goals from Milena Isturiz (one assisted by Gibaud) and a man-up strike by Emily Ferris — to take a 5–4 lead into the break.
The third quarter decided the game. Keiser exploded for seven goals in the period, turning a one-goal halftime edge into a 12–5 advantage. Jia Schweigert led the barrage with multiple finishes, including a man-up goal, while Gibaud and Isturiz continued to pressure Reinhardt’s defense in transition and settled offense. RU’s lone response in the quarter came from Lauren Padgett off an assist from Emma Perritte in the final minute.
In the fourth, Reinhardt showed fight with two man-up goals — Rakestraw on a free-position attempt and Prestia again off a Rakestraw assist — but Keiser matched every push and closed out the win with five more goals, including tallies from Emily McCall, Tess Geiger, Vrensen, Gibaud (free position), and Reese Lynch.
By the Numbers
- Shots: Keiser 37, Reinhardt 14 (a major possession and pressure gap)
- Draw controls: Keiser 18, Reinhardt 8 (Keiser repeatedly won restarts, especially in the third quarter with eight draw controls)
- Ground balls: Keiser 21, Reinhardt 12 (extra possessions and cleaner recoveries)
- Turnovers: Reinhardt 21, Keiser 17 (Reinhardt struggled to find a consistent offensive rhythm)
- Goalkeeping: Reinhardt’s Madison Hasty made 12 saves on 29 shots faced, while Keiser’s Raelyn Boutwell allowed seven goals and recorded three saves as Reinhardt put 10 shots on goal.
Top Performers
Keiser (Fla.)
- Jia Schweigert: 4 goals, 1 assist (key driver of the third-quarter breakaway)
- MacKenzie Gibaud: 3 goals, 4 assists (7-point day; involved throughout)
- Milena Isturiz: 3 goals, 6 ground balls
- Isabelle Vrensen: 2 goals
- Tess Geiger: 2 goals
Reinhardt (Ga.)
- Izzy Prestia: 2 goals
- Hayley Rakestraw: 1 goal, 3 assists (involved in four of Reinhardt’s seven goals)
- Miranda Petrillo: 1 goal, 1 assist
- Goals also from Mary Grace Lewis, Lainey Byrne, and Lauren Padgett
The Seahawks will take on the Ravens on Wednesday, May 13, at 4 p.m. CT.
