WLAX: #15 Stevens Tops Saint Joseph’s In NCAA Tournament
Release Courtesy of Saint Joseph's (Maine) Athletic Communications
AMHERST, Mass. – Saint Joseph's College (17-4) saw its season come to an end on Saturday afternoon, falling to #15 Stevens Institute of Technology (16-4), 18-6, in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Tournament at Pratt Field at Lehrman Stadium on the campus of Amherst College.
The loss also brings an end to the Monks' 16-game winning streak, which was tied for the third-longest in NCAA DIII entering today's contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Saint Joseph's opened the scoring when sophomore Ella Highbarger (Kennebunk, Maine) scored off a Celia Melanson (Waterford, Maine) assist at the 12:44 mark of the opening quarter, but Stevens answered with four consecutive goals — all on player-up opportunities — to take control. Sophomore Zoey Lailer (Limington, Maine) converted a man-up chance midway through the first quarter to trim the deficit to 4-2, but the Ducks closed the frame with four straight goals to carry an 8-2 lead into the second.
Stevens, ranked 15th nationally according to the most recent IWLCA Poll, added five more goals in the second quarter and led 13-3 at halftime. Saint Joseph's scored twice early in the third quarter on goals by junior Taylor Dumond (Minisink, N.Y.) to pull within 13-5, but Stevens answered with three straight goals to regain separation.
Lailer added a second man-up goal in the fourth quarter, but the Ducks closed out the 18-6 victory with two late scores.
STATS OF THE GAME:
Stevens held advantages in shots (27-13), shots on goal (23-12), draw controls (15-10), and clear percentage (18-for-19). Saint Joseph's matched the Ducks in ground balls (19-19) but committed 24 turnovers in the loss.
THE KEEPERS:
Saint Joseph's:
- Julia Price (Jr., Newbury, Mass.) – 60:00, 18 GA, 5 saves
Stevens:
- Kailyn Vautour – 45:00, 5 GA, 3 saves
- Felicity Heilferty – 7:00, 0 GA, 2 saves
- Emma Guzowski – 8:00, 1 GA, 1 save
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Taylor Dumond – 3 goals
- Zoey Lailer – 2 goals
- Ella Highbarger – 1 goal, 6 draw controls, 4 ground balls
- Celia Melanson – 3 assists
- Kya Duprey (Fr., Sanford, Maine) – 2 caused turnovers
- Kiley Webber (So., Freeport, Maine) – 1 assist, 2 caused turnovers
LEADERS – STEVENS:
- Maddie Hogan – 5 goals, 2 assists
- Abby O'Brien – 3 goals, 1 assist
- Alina Friz – 2 goals, 1 assist
- Stefanie Sellitto – 2 goals, 5 draw controls
- Adeline Obitz – 1 goal, 2 assists
- Elise Hensley – 2 goals
ABOUT THE GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
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