Charlotte, N.C. – After a nearly four-hour weather delay, the No. 15 Queens Women's Lacrosse Team (17-2) finally prevailed over Lenoir-Rhyne (11-7), 16-8, to capture the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Championship Saturday night at the Royals Athletic Complex.

The Royals, winners of 12 straight games, defeated the Bears in the league championship for the third consecutive year.

Queens' Abigail Paulus (Pickerington, Ohio) led all scorers with five goals and four assists while Brittany Larranaga (Orlando, Fla.) scored three times as the Royals held a clear advantage in shots taken (36-15) and ground balls (27-12) in the win.

Lenoir-Rhyne sophomore midfielder Aubriana Benedetto (Rochester, N.Y.) and freshman attacker Gabby Sousa (Delran, N.J.) both scored two goals while Benedetto dished out a pair of assists in the losing effort.

A goal by Sousa at the 23:13 mark of the second half cut the Royals' lead to 7-5 but Queens then took control by scoring eight of the next nine goals.

Queens' goalkeeper, Christine Wiese (Chesapeake Beach, Md.), earned the win after stopping five shots while Lenoir-Rhyne sophomore goalkeeper Ines Flueck (Coppell, Texas) suffered the loss despite totaling 14 saves on the night.

2016 South Atlantic Conference Women's Lacrosse
Championship All-Tournament Team

Madi Malone - Tusculum
Bethany Davis - Catawba
Claire Wach – Lenoir-Rhyne
Ines Flueck – Lenoir-Rhyne
Aubriana Benedetto – Lenoir-Rhyne
Gabby Sousa – Lenoir-Rhyne
Brittany Larranaga - Queens
Hannah Scott - Queens
Gabby Farina - Queens
Bridgette Larranaga - Queens
Kelly Dowd - Queens
Abigail Paulus – Queens (Tournament MVP)