TAMPA, Fla. --- The University of Tampa women's lacrosse team closed out the game with a 4-0 run to edge visiting Tusculum College 16-11 Thursday afternoon at the Naimoli Family Athletic and Intramural Complex. Tampa improves to 4-5 on the season, while Tusculum falls to 5-2 on the season, ending the Pioneers three-game winning streak..

The Spartans jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Amanda Voges netted in two of her three goals of the day in the opening 5:49.

The Pioneers answered with back-to-back goals from Katie Chadwick and Madison Malone to tie the game at 2-2.

The Spartans went on a 5-2 run to take a 7-4 lead following a Paige Digiglio goal with 5:10 remaining in the opening half.

The Pioneers closed out the period with a 3-1 spurt, including two goals from Cheyenne Bray and one from Kelsey Crow as TC trailed 8-7 at the intermission.

In the second half, the Pioneers continued their momentum and took their first lead of the game at 9-8, when Calyn Kelly blasted a shot past the Tampa goalie. After a UT timeout, the Tampa offense was able to string out three consecutive goals to take the lead for good.

Tusculum trimmed the UT lead to 12-11 following a free position goal from Erin Sims with 11:43 remaining. Tampa answered with a goal three minutes later, but back came TC when Rachel Del Duca found the back of the cage with a goal at the 7:43 mark.

UT closed out the contest with goals from Voges, Kirsten Brierley, Natalie Carraway and Mackenzie Perna to provide the final scoring margin.

Voges led the way for the Spartans as she recorded four points, netting three goals and dishing out an assist in the first meeting between the Pioneers and the Spartans.

Tampa out-shot Tusculum by a 40-27 margin, but the Pioneers owned a 21-19 advantage in ground balls, including a team-best four by Kelly and goalie Brooke Wagner.

UT goalie Jaime Austin picked up the win coming off the bench as she posted three saves in her 20 minutes of action. Wagner accounted for 11 saves for the visitors.

Tusculum returns to South Atlantic Conference play this Saturday afternoon when the Pioneers take on Newberry College for a 4 p.m. contest at Setzler Field.