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MACON, GA. – Big South Offensive Player of the Year Caroline Glus scored a game high five goals to lift the top-seeded Mercer Bears to a 16-8 victory over No. 4 Furman, Friday evening in the semifinals of the Big South Women’s Lacrosse Championship at Five Star Stadium.
Final. pic.twitter.com/0T8NphegDJ
— Furman Women's Lacrosse (@FUWlax) May 1, 2026
Mercer improves to 12-6 on the season and advances to the championship game on Sunday afternoon to face either No. 2 High Point or No. 3 Wofford at 12 p.m.
Shae Insinga with her fourth goal of the afternoon!
Furman – 8
Mercer – 154Q | 2:27 pic.twitter.com/6d6zbzJwen
— Furman Women's Lacrosse (@FUWlax) May 1, 2026
Shae Insinga, who was named Big South Newcomer of the Year on Thursday, paced the Paladin offense with four goals while picking up two ground balls. Reynolds Hester and second team All-Big South Lily Toole both provided three points on two goals and an assist. Caroline Smith contributed an assist. Skylar Hilmer, second team All-Big South Allie Kandel, and Big South All-Freshman Team selection Cate Noone all won three draws. Hilmer was one of three players that caused two turnovers along with Charlotte Kent and honorable mention All-Big South Zoe Milmoe. Goalie Sailor Henderson finished with 10 saves.
Shae Insinga picks up the rebound and gets the hat trick!
Furman – 7
Mercer – 154Q | 3:06 pic.twitter.com/xtcPoUf5db
— Furman Women's Lacrosse (@FUWlax) May 1, 2026
Kent set a new career high with eight ground balls to lead all players, which ranks tied for second-most in a game in program history. Three other players have recorded eight ground balls in a contest with the last coming on March 2, 2024, when former Paladin goalie Lily Rathbun posted eight versus James Madison.
Free position goal by Lily Toole!
Furman – 6
Mercer – 144Q | 9:45 pic.twitter.com/5M78RrN6Zb
— Furman Women's Lacrosse (@FUWlax) May 1, 2026
Glus led the Bears offensively with her five goals while Maya Maldonado turned in three. Sofia D’Angelo recorded four points and Ansley Walters three. In goal, Mackenzie Ward collected 12 saves, four ground balls, and two caused turnovers.
15 minutes remaining in Macon.
📊 https://t.co/WUjkuW6c9A
💻 https://t.co/WUjkuW6c9A pic.twitter.com/6GzVAS1qDU— Furman Women's Lacrosse (@FUWlax) May 1, 2026
Mercer outscored Furman 10-1 over a stretch of nearly 25 minutes to build a 12-3 lead at the 8:57 mark of the third quarter. The Paladins struck for two goals from Hester in the opening 8:16 to build a 2-0 lead. The Bears answered with back-to-back goals to close out the first quarter. Following Insinga’s free position goal with 12:11 to go in the second quarter to make the score 4-3, Mercer came back with eight consecutive goals to take the nine-goal lead.
Lily Toole on the board from Caroline Smith!
Furman – 5
Mercer – 133Q | 1:10 pic.twitter.com/dUrZiepMII
— Furman Women's Lacrosse (@FUWlax) May 1, 2026
Insinga and Toole ended the third quarter with goals over the last 2:21and the fourth period saw both teams find the back of the net three times. Toole got Furman’s scoring started in the final 15 minutes and Insinga cut the deficit down to 15-8 with 2:27 left in the contest, scoring twice in a stretch of less than a minute.
Mercer outscores Furman, 7-1, in the 2nd quarter as the Paladins trail 9-3 at halftime.
📊 https://t.co/WUjkuW6c9A
💻 https://t.co/WUjkuW6c9A pic.twitter.com/cgFzUYdRe7— Furman Women's Lacrosse (@FUWlax) May 1, 2026
The Paladins concluded the contest recording 24 shots, 17 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers, and nine draws.
All tied up after the opening 15 minutes.
💻 https://t.co/WUjkuW6c9A
📊 https://t.co/WUjkuW6c9A pic.twitter.com/DYLvu2Ve22— Furman Women's Lacrosse (@FUWlax) May 1, 2026
Furman wraps up the 2026 campaign with a 10-9 overall record, marking the first time since 2015-17 that the program has compiled back-to-back 10-plus win seasons.
Credit: furmanpaladins.com
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