Marywood University Pacers

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Scranton, Pa. – Second-seeded Marywood University reached the Colonial States Athletic Conference women's lacrosse championship game for the first time in five seasons with a 20-4 win over No. 3 Neumann University Wednesday in the semifinal. The second-seeded Pacers will travel to No. 1 Cabrini University Saturday in hopes of derailing the Cavaliers' five-game championship streak.
 
The Pacers had three players – Sam Bussinelli, Gwyneth Gleason and Caitlin Watson – score five goals apiece. Bussinelli tied for a game-high seven points with two assists, and Watson set a new career-best with her performance. Gleason added four draws and an assist.
 
Ashley Valway provided five assists and two goals to match Bussinelli seven points.
 
Natalie Burke broke the school's record for career caused turnovers with three from the midfield spot. Her 113th career caused turnover snaps Kimberly Commisso '14's record. It also moves her to third all-time in Colonial States Athletic Conference history. Burke aided the squad with four assists, four ground balls and five draw controls.
 
Playing in possibly her final game at Marywood, Lauren Smith allowed four goals with six saves.
 
On the defensive side of the field, Haley Risi tallied seven ground balls and four caused turnovers.
 
Neumann (10-9) received a hat trick from Kaitlyn Conrad. Lydia Beckman had four ground balls, and Taylor Klever caused three turnovers.
 
Marywood reaches the championship game for the third time in program history. The Pacers were edged by Cabrini 19-16 in 2012 and 16-14 to Gwynedd Mercy in 2011. Marywood was the No. 1 seed in both championship trips.
 
The Pacers (12-5) scored the first five goals of the game in the first 14 minutes. Marywood set the running clock 33 seconds before halftime and again at the 26:35 mark of the second half.
 
Gleason tacked on the game's first goal on a free-position shot at 26:13 in the first half.
 
Neumann had eliminated Marywood from the postseason in the CSAC semifinals in three of its previous four trips.
 
Marywood outshot the Knights by a 36-12 margin and led the ground ball game by a 26-17 clip. The Pacers won the draw controls 16-9 after merely edging the Knights in the department in their regular season meeting. Both teams were similarly shaky (Neumann 50 percent, Marywood 64 percent) on clear percentage.
 
All four of Neumann's goals came off free-position shots. Gleason and Watson netted the Pacers' two FPS goals.  

The Marywood men's lacrosse team will also be facing Cabrini University in the CSAC championship in Radnor, Pa. Saturday.