Marywood Advances to ECAC Final After Thrilling, 7-6 Win
Stephanie Naro collected three groundballs and one caused turnover to help lead Marywood into the ECAC Championship Game after a 7-6 win over Washington and Jeffferson on Saturday.

Marywood Advances to ECAC Final After Thrilling, 7-6 Win

Women's Lacrosse - 5/12/2012 7:12:00 PM

Box Score

Scranton, PA – Despite scoring a season-low seven goals, Marywood University used a solid defensive effort to gut out a 7-6 victory over Washington and Jefferson College on Saturday to advance to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Mid-Atlantic Women's Lacrosse Championship game.  The second-seeded Pacers will take on fourth-seeded Alvernia University, a 19-11 winner over top-seed Lebanon Valley College in Saturday's other semifinal, on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the title on Marywood's Turf Field.
 
W&J, the third seed in this year's tournament, opened a 2-0 lead over the first 10:31 of Saturday's semifinal game before Marywood responded with back-to-back goals separated by just 36 seconds to tie the game at 2-2 with 14:35 to play in the opening half.  Diana D'Achille tallied off a feed from Brooke Bondurant before Taylor McKeown scored off a setup from Sarah Caughy to level the score.
 
The Presidents reclaimed the lead at the 7:11 mark when Liz Turcik converted a free-position opportunity, but D'Achille sent the game into halftime deadlocked at three-apiece with an unassisted marker with just 15 seconds to play in the opening half. 
 
The Pacers claimed their first lead of the game just 1:13 into the second half when D'Achille completed her hat-trick off a Kimberly Commisso assist, and McKeown's second goal of the evening stretched the hosts' lead to 5-3 with 25:16 left in regulation.
 
W&J battled back with consecutive goals from Megan Kelly and Lauren Novak to knot the game at 5-5 with 17:34 left in regulation, but D'Achille again had a response, netting an unassisted goal with 5:22 to play to give Marywood a one-goal edge.  Bondurant added a much needed insurance goal, assisted by Commisso, with 2:11 left in regulation. 
 
The Presidents cut their deficit to 7-6 with 1:10 to play on a Brittney Oake tally and then gained possession with time winding down, but were unable to get a shot at the equalizer off as the Pacers' defense buckled down to punch Marywood's ticket to the championship game.
 
The Pacers, who held a 24-14 advantage in shots for the game, were led by D'Achille's four-goal effort while McKeown finished with a pair of goals.  Bondurant (1 goal, 1 assist) and Commisso (2 assists) also added two points in the win for Marywood.  Commisso added a game-high six groundballs to go along with two caused turnovers while D'Achille led all players with six draw controls. 
 
Marywood, who held a 22-19 edge in groundballs for the game and an 11-4 advantage in draw controls, got five saves from winning goalie Leigha Dolcemascolo.
 
Turcik and Oake had two goals apiece to lead W&J, while Novak finished with a goal and an assist for the Presidents, who end their season with a13-4 record.  Julia McLellan took the loss in goal despite making 12 saves.
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