The Oglethorpe women's lacrosse team jumped on the visiting Sweet Briar Vixens early and never looked back in a comprehensive victory Tuesday afternoon at the Oglethorpe Track and Field. The homestanding Stormy Petrels outscored the visitors 12-2 in the opening half of play and then cruised to the victory in the second, improving to 3-6 on the season.

The Petrels got 10 goals from junior midfielder Juliana Altman in the game on 16 shots. She put 13 of those shots on target while scooping six ground balls, causing six turnovers, and securing five draw controls. Senior midfielder Sydney Sparks put up a hat trick of her own, scoring three on seven shots, five of them on target. She secured four ground balls, as well. Senior defender Caitlin Ayres and freshman defender Sedaries Mathis also caused four turnovers apiece.

The Petrels burst out of the gate against the Vixens, scoring the first seven goals of the contest. They scored four times in the first 10 minutes of the game, with Altman, senior midfielder Tate Davis, and freshman midfielder Cassie Andrews all providing tallies. Freshman midfielder Madison Goss picked up an assist on Andrews' goal. 

That trend continued as the half went along, as Goss scored off an assist from Davis with 18:09 left, and Altman and Sparks both scored unassisted goals to give Oglethorpe a 7-0 lead with 15 minutes remaining in the opening half of play. After a couple of Sweet Briar goals, the Petrels came back to finish the half on a 5-goal run. Altman scored twice more, Sparks tallied a man-up goal as well as an even-strength goal with 11 seconds left, and Davis scored off an assist from Altman, giving the Petrels a 12-2 lead at the halftime break.

The scoring settled down a bit in the second, but Altman came up with all six Oglethorpe goals in the period. The Vixens got the Oglethorpe lead back down to eight goals, 12-4, with 24:45 remaining, but Altman netted three straight to push the Oglethorpe lead back out to 15-4. Oglehtorpe cruised from there, with Altman scoring three more times to finish the game off.

The Petrels outshot the Vixens 42-14 as a team. They were successful on 17 of 23 clear attempts while holding Sweet Briar to 12 of 24. They scooped 29 ground balls to their opponents' 14, as well, and they were 3 for 9 on free position shots with Altman scoring all three Oglethorpe free position goals. The Petrels also forced 34 turnovers while committing 20 themselves. 

"The team came out hungry today and was focused on all the things we've been working on in practice," said Oglethorpe head coach Marissa Giannerini. "I am impressed with the tenacity of our defensive unit and midfield in transition. They are working hard and it is paying off."

The Petrels will now have a long break before they return to the field Wednesday, March 23, in Montevallo, Alabama. They'll take on Montevallo at 6 p.m. Eastern before heading back into SAA play against Birmingham-Southern and Hendrix.