JU's ASUN lacrosse streak is over: Coastal Carolina wins to end six years of Dolphin dominance

The Jacksonville University women's lacrosse team trailed Coastal Carolina by one goal with 1:42 left in Saturday's ASUN Championship game at the Dolphins' Rock Stadium.

JU, which had won four games in a row by three goals or less — the last two by one in pitched battles with Liberty — had the Chanticleers where they wanted them.

Right?

"Absolutely," said graduate senior midfielder Lauren Ellis. "Our identity is fight and we've proven that."

Coastal then continued to do what it did best the entire 60 minutes: take the fight to the Dolphins.

After Jacksonville senior attack Brianna Samuels scored to make it a one-goal game, the Chanticleers Sydney Tornetta won the faceoff and the offense burned out the 90-second shot clock to 12 seconds left on the game clock, not nearly enough time for the Dolphins to get the ball up the field as Coastal ended JU's streak of ASUN tournament championships at six with their 10-9 victory, the first-ever conference tournament loss for JU on their home field after winning 15 in a row since 2013.

Jacksonville (9-9) was also seeking its 10th ASUN title overall. The last time the Dolphins failed to win the ASUN tournament was in 2016 with a 9-8 semifinal loss to Detroit Mercy at Kennesaw, Ga..

Coastal Carolina (14-5) won its first women's lacrosse conference title and earned the NCAA berth that comes with it.

Dolphins reached title game in rebuilding year

"It's tough but they put up a really good fight," said JU graduate senior attack Mackenzie Boyle. "We came into this game knowing what was going to happen. We've had a target on our back all season. We're a younger team but I'm so proud of what we've done. We came out with a winning record and still dominated the conference [going 5-0 during the regular season]. It's not the ending that we wanted but I couldn't be more proud of these girls."

JU coach Tara Singleton believed the adversity the Dolphins experienced this season in trying to rebuild an offense that lost 158 goals and 77 assists with the departures of Sarah Elms, Grace Hobson, Lauren Craft and Molly Brock, would carry them through.

After losing six of their first eight non-conference games, JU posted its 10th unbeaten regular season conference record despite being last in the ASUN in scoring — but among the leaders in every defensive category.

"We're really happy we got to the point we got to in the season," Singleton said. "It was challenging but I firmly believe that made us tougher and stronger in the long run. Unfortunately, we couldn't pull it out."

Chants turned it around in third quarter

Coastal jumped out a 4-1 lead in the first quarter with tournament MVP Sydney McClure getting it started with a short-handed goal.

JU rallied to tie the game 4-4 in the second period with Boyle assisting Ellis on one goal and adding a short-handed score. Ayson Mascolo scored the first of her two goals with 1:55 left in the game and Jenna Peed tied it for JU at 5-5 with 45 seconds left.

Hudson Gentile took a pass from Ellis to give the Dolphins their only lead in the game at 6-5 to open the third quarter.

The turning point came when the Chanticleers scored twice in a span of 1:17. Avery McIlwaine's shot glanced off the stick of JU goalkeeper Addy Tysdal and ASUN freshman of the year Evelyn Kitchin, after intercepting a pass by Maggie Cuddy, sprinted to the JU net and beat Tysdale one-on-one.

"That's why she's the ASUN freshman of the year," Coastal coach Rachel Shuck Whitten said. "Those two goals were a big turnaround."

The Chants increased their lead to 10-7 with 8:21 left when Monica Manley scored twice, one on a free-position goal and the other off a feed from McClure.

The Dolphins had hope when Ellis and Samuels got the last two goals.

In the end, JU had too many empty possessions. There were four shot-clock violations and Coastal junior goalkeeper Charlotte Sandler — who is listed at 5 feet 2 — had nine saves.

"We've challenged her every game to improve," Whitten said. "She played big today."

Singleton, Whitten played together

Singleton also lost a battle between former college teammates. She and Whitten played together at Loyola Maryland for four seasons and were both on the University of Denver staff.

"One million percent respect for Rachel and her team," Singleton said. "They're one of the reasons this conference has gotten more and more competitive every year. It's not a walk in the park."

When the game ended the two coaches were crying in each other's arms.

"It was very tough ... she's an amazing coach," Whitten said of Singleton. "She's challenged me since I was 18 in so many good ways. She's made me a better coach and a better person. We prepped so hard for this battle and beating her is so hard. She's beaten me three times [at Coastal]. This is the one I got."

Whitten said one key was turning the defense over to assistant coach Samantha Giacolone this season.

"I ran the defense last year and this year it was head-over-heels better with Sam," Whitten said.

JU offense was tentative

Singleton said in the end the team tried too many times for the hero shot.

"I think in those shot-clock violations, we were looking for the ultimate ending instead of getting a good option and backing each other up if we missed the shot," she said. "I think we got a little hesitant at times."

Still, the Dolphins believed to the end.

"I thought we'd keep going to the natty champ," Ellis said. "This is tough but I'm proud of this team. We're a family. The bond we have is unreal. We fought hard but Coastal fought hard too and ended up going home with it."

JU junior defender Kaila Stasuli, who was named the ASUN defensive player of the year earlier in the week, led the Dolphins' selections to the All-Tournament team. Also making it were Ellis and sophomore midfielder Abby Moran.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Dolphins dominance in ASUN women's lacrosse ends with loss to Coastal