CONWAY, S.C. – Newcomer Hope Steuerwald led 12 different Coastal Carolina players in the women's lacrosse season-opening 20-3 win over in-state opponent Presbyterian College on Sunday afternoon in Conway. S.C. Since the start of the program in 2013, the Chanticleers are 6-5 in season openers and 3-3 in season openers at home.  With the win, the Chanticleers open the 2023 season 1-0, while the Blue Hose fall to 0-1 with the loss.
 
Coastal's offense scored early and often as Steuerwald recorded four goals for her first hat trick as a Chanticleer to lead six players with multiple goals. She was aided on the offensive end by Brigid Cardillo, Riley Glackin, Devin Rybacki, Avery McIlwaine, and Kayla Downey with two goals each, while the offense got one goal apiece from Alyson Mascolo, Gabrielle Beckett, Sophie Kingsborough, Monica Manley, Sydney Tornetta, and Brooke Gottlieb. McIlwaine (6 draw controls) and Rybacki (5 draw controls) got the offense started by winning a combined 11-of-18 draw controls.
 
Defensively, Claire Martell played 30 minutes in goal allowing just two goals while making four saves, while backups Kennedy Manning and Charlotte Sadler made one save each while seeing action in the second half. Claudia Kelly caused two turnovers, while Avery Snyder scooped up two ground balls.
 
Presbyterian's Willow Hammond, Abby Edmisten, and Kylie Sullivan all scored one goal apiece, while Sullivan won six draw controls. Lilly Phillips made her first start in goal and allowed 16 goals while making six stops in 50 minutes of action.
 
CCU took just 1:20 off the game clock to open the scoring as Downey filled the back of the net as Snyder found her in front of the cress. After winning the draw, Coastal doubled its point total in just under two minutes, as Glackin put the Chants in front 2-0 with her first goal of the season. The Chanticleers' Snyder picked up her second assist of the match as she found McIlwaine on the left side for the wide-open tally to give Coastal a 3-0 advantage.
 
The Blue Hose answered with their first goal of the season as Hammond was able to beat the Chants' goalkeeper on a woman-up free position goal with 6:58 remaining in the opening quarter. Coastal responded with back-to-back goals by Downey and Cardillo to close out the first-quarter scoring with the Chants leading 5-1.
 
Coastal Carolina's Manley needed just 35 seconds into the second period to push the lead to 6-1. With 3:32 remaining until the halftime break, the Chanticleers scored three goals in under a minute, beginning with Steuerwald's first goal as a Chant and ending with Mascolo's first career goal to extend the lead to 9-1. Presbyterian closed out the first-half scoring, as Edmisten found the back of the net with 1:05 remaining on the game clock to cu the Chants' lead to 9-2 at the halftime break.
 
Steuerwald opened the third period with two quick goals to record her first hat trick in Teal and White to open the margin to 11-2. With 26 minutes remaining in regulation, Coastal's Glackin scored the unassisted goal to start the running clock as the Chants had a 10-point advantage at 12-2. McIlwaine and Tornetta capped off a 5-0 surge with back-to-back goals in just over two minutes to put the score at 14-2.
 
The Blue Hose's Sullivan answered the home team's run with what would be the final goal for PC to trail 14-3, only to see Steuerwald tally her fourth goal of the match to push the Chants in front at 15-3.
 
Coastal scored the final five goals of the match in the final 15 minutes of action for the final margin of 20-3, including first-career goals as Chanticleers by Kingsborough and Beckett.
 
Coastal Carolina will return to action in seven days, as the Chanticleers will host the Davidson Wildcats on Sunday, Feb. 19. The opening draw is scheduled for noon ET.
 
For complete coverage of CCU women's lacrosse, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalWLax (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.