Canton and Morrisville to meet for NAC women’s lacrosse championship
WOMEN’S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP – SEMI-FINALS
#1 SUNY Canton 16, SUNY Poly 3
CANTON, N.Y. — The Roos return to the championship game of the North Atlantic Conference women’s lacrosse tournament after defeating the SUNY Poly Wildcats, 16-3, in Saturday’s semifinal.
In the first period, Maddy Caron scored the first for Canton while Samantha Dayter collected the first of her eight assists on the day. The Wildcats defense managed to limit the Roos to just two goals in the first period. Caroline Nappi scored the Roos’ second goal of the period after teammate Aaliah White had a breakaway to set up Nappi for the shot.
The Roos took a commanding lead in the second half with six goals from four different players. Dayter and Morgan Montgomery scored their first goals of the day, with Caron and Nappi each adding to their tally before heading into the halftime break.
The Wildcats’ Jayden Brown finished the half with 10 saves in net, with the Roos’ Olivia Scott not allowing a goal and recording eight saves before the start of the second half.
Katie Kopzca got things started for the Wildcats by starting the third quarter with a goal in the second minute of the period. Canton’s Caron and Dayter would each score two goals to extend the Roos’ lead by 11 and give SUNY Canton a 12-1 lead through three quarters of play. Poly’s Callie Johnson and Madison Bastien would each make the scoreboard. Wildcats before the end of regulation time.
Canton’s Nappi finished the game with four goals while Montgomery scored two. Caron led the Roos’ attack with six goals in the net while winning five draws. White recovered six ground balls, a game high. In addition to his four goals, Dayter contributed eight of Canton’s ten assists while recovering two ground balls and five draw controls.
Jayden Brown matched her season-high 17 saves while in net for the Wildcats, while also forcing two turnovers. Kopzca, Johnson and Bastien each scored a goal, with Katelynn Truax adding an assist, four ground balls and two forced turnovers to her stat sheet.
#3 SUNY Morrisville 13, #2 Husson University 12 (1 OT)
CANTON, N.Y. — The Mustangs will advance to the NAC Women’s Lacrosse Tournament championship for the first time after a thrilling 13-12 overtime victory over second-seeded Husson University.
Morrisville scored early with Jazlyn Leet hitting the back of the net in the first minute of the game on a free position shot. The Mustangs went on a 3-1 run before the Eagles responded to tie the score, 3-3, on goals from Maddie Benoit and Sophia Gomez. Freshman Anyssia Ingersoll responded with a goal in the final minute of the period, allowing Morrisville to regain the lead before closing out the first period.
In the second period, Morrisville would go on a 3-0 run with two goals from Alana McDonald and one from Maddie Baum. However, Husson responded with a three-goal spurt of his own from Benoit (two goals) and Gomez (one goal), to stay within one goal of Morrisville. The Mustangs increased their lead with two goals from Ingersoll and McDonald and led 9-6 at the halftime intermission.
Two Morrisville goals to open the third quarter allowed the Mustangs to extend their lead to five goals, 11-6, but Husson outscored Morrisville, 3-1, the rest of the period to cut the deficit to 12- 9 before the start of the third quarter. the last period.
Thanks to two quick goals from Husson’s Laela Martinez and Gracie Gardner, the Eagles were able to cut the deficit to one goal, 12-11.
After a Morrisville turnover with 48 seconds left on the game clock, the Eagles were able to find Natalie Whitten and she capped the Eagles’ comeback effort with a goal with 20 seconds remaining. Whitten’s marker tied the score at 12-12, sending the game into overtime.
McDonald won control of the toss to start the overtime period and give Morrisville possession. After a foul on Husson, Jaele Naab prepared for a free position shot and a chance to win, but was denied by the Eagles goalkeeper. Shortly after, the Mustangs took advantage of a Husson turnover and found McDonald to score the winning goal.
Morrisville’s offense was led by McDonald and Ingersoll with four goals each. Ingersoll would also record seven ground balls, five caused turnovers and eight draw controls. Baum finished his night by collecting three of the team’s five assists, a goal, four ground balls and causing one turnover. Leet recovered six ground balls and caused seven turnovers.
The Eagles’ Averi Baker and Benoit each came away with three goals, with Martinez recording five points on two goals and three assists. Montana Carrier also recovered seven ground balls for Husson.
Emma Begin made nine saves for the Eagles and Rebecca Thomas of the Mustangs had eight saves.
