The Pfeiffer University women’s lacrosse team rode a big first half and hung on in the second half, taking a 12-11 win over William Peace University on the campus of Meredith College on Tuesday night.

The visiting Falcons (5-0, 4-0 USA South) got four goals from Meagan Bourque and three from Hailey Metzger while jumping out to a big first half lead and hanging on for the 12-11 win to remain unbeaten. Also scoring for the Falcons was Startraya Galloway and Meredith Manson, each with two goals while Sophia Griffin added a goal. Bourque and Metzger had two assists while Griffin and Galloway each had one.

The Falcons took less than six minutes to claim and early 2-0 lead. Startraya Galloway opened the scoring with an unassisted goal followed by a Meredith Manson goal off a Metzger assist at the 24:26 mark to take the early lead.

WPU (6-1, 3-1) responded, tying the game at 2-2, but Pfeiffer reeled off six straight goals to end the half, taking the 8-2 lead into halftime. Over the scoring streak, Griffin made it 3-2 on a free position shot followed by a Metzger goal at 16:02 with Bourque earning the assist. Galloway made it 5-2 on another free position goal, then Manson scored an unassisted goal to go up 6-2.

Bourque then scored the next two goals, one from a feed from Metzger and the other on a free position shot at 1:57.

Bourque put Pfeiffer up 9-2 on a man up goal less than three minutes into the second half, but WPU scored three straight goals, with the latter coming on a man up opportunity for the Pacers, making it 9-5.

Bourque then notched a goal being a man down at the 23:57 mark to push the lead to 10-5, but WPU scored the next four goals to close to 10-9 with 11:06 to play

Metzger scored the final two Falcon goals, both on free position shots and 9:39 and 7:05 to give Pfeiffer the 12-9 lead. WPU would battle back, scoring with 5:25 left and again with 48 seconds remaining, but the Falcon defense held, with Pfeiffer winning 12-11.

Pfeiffer returns home to take on Methodist in a USA South game as part of a doubleheader with the Falcon men’s lacrosse team. Start time is scheduled for 1 p.m. at N.E. Lefko Field.