DANVILLE, Va. - Shenandoah University won its first ever women's lacrosse championship Sunday afternoon with a 17-13 victory over third-seeded Methodist College at Averett University's Cougars Den.

Shenandoah (11-5) is the first USA South Conference champion other than Greensboro College. The Pride had won the first four tournaments in league history before Methodist (8-9) eliminated them yesterday.

Coach Lois Bowers' club never trailed in its second championship game appearance; the Hornets got a Joia Davis goal 47 seconds into the game held at least a one-goal lead the rest of the way.

With the score 3-2 in favor of Shenandoah after Kali Goodfellow fed Emily Neilsen for a goal at the 17:27 mark, SU seized total control of the game with a five-goal run that ended with Kelly Matagiese' unassisted tally at the 9:45 mark.

Lindsey West scored an unassisted goal for MC with 17 ticks remaining in the first, but the Hornets had built a lead that would prove to be too much to overcome.

Methodist did make it interesting with a four-goal run in a span of 2:10 that brought it to 10-7 SU with 20:45 remaining, but Davis had an answer.

Davis clinched the MVP award by scoring two goals in a 23 second span immediately after Methodist's last tally, and Shenandoah used the change in momentium to eventually expand the lead to 15-7 with 13:25 remaining.

The lead reached eight, at 17-9, before MC scored the final four goals of the game to provide the final margin.

Shenandoah's run from the No. 4 seed marks the lowest seed to ever win the tournament and it's the first SU win over MC in lacrosse in five lifetime meetings.

Davis and Matagiese each had four goals for Shenandoah with Davis adding a pair of assists. 

Davis was joined on the All-Tournament team by teammates Matagiese, Lauren Prentice, Lauren Carpinello, Erika Bradd and Joanna Eure.

Box Score/Play by Play 

This 11th win concludes Shenandoah's most successful year in 10 seasons of intercollegiate women's lacrosse.