App State field hockey continued its start to the season Sunday in the High Country, defeating Davidson College 7-3 behind a combined 6 goals from senior midfielder Lise Boekaar and junior defender Sophia Baxter.

The Mountaineers jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter. Boekaar scored on a penalty shot, and Baxter redirected a pass into the back of the net on a penalty corner play to give App State a 2-0 lead at the end of the first 15 minutes of play.

Baxter notched her second goal of the game midway through the second quarter, sneaking one past the Davidson goalkeeper to extend the lead to 3-0.

Wildcats forward Emelia Little scored with just a minute left in the first half to get Davidson on the board, and she scored again two minutes into the third quarter to make it a 3-2 game.

App State stopped the rally a few minutes later when Boekaar scored despite being tripped and falling down, pushing the lead back to 2.

Davidson made it a 1-goal game again with 5 minutes left in the third, but failed to find the equalizer, and App State pulled away in the fourth quarter.

The Mountaineers scored 3 times in the final 15 minutes of the game. Sophomore midfielder Baylie Phillips fired one past the Wildcats goalkeeper to make it 5-3, and Boekaar added 2 more to seal the deal: a successful penalty shot for the hat trick and converting on a penalty corner.

Boekaar set a new career-high with 4 goals. Through the first three games of the 2025 season, Boekaar has scored 7 times.

Baxter spoke after the game about what it took for the Mountaineers to come out with the win.

“Davidson’s a super gritty team and they always come out with a lot of energy, so I think it kind of fuels us and gets us in there, in the goal, and even as a back, it gets me excited and makes me want to go up and score,” Baxter said.

Baxter also praised Boekaar’s performance in the game.

“She had an amazing game today and lots of goals,” Baxter said. “She killed it.”