May 10, 2003
Shorewomen Advance to ECAC Final
WC Downs St. Lawrence, 10-8

LANCASTER, PA -- The Washington College women's lacrosse team advanced to the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Championship game with a 10-8 win over St. Lawrence in the semifinal round today at Franklin & Marshall College. The Shorewomen (14-5), the sixth-seed in the tournament, picked up their school record-tying 14th win of the season, while St. Lawrence, the second seed, finished its season at 11-6.

The Shorewomen got on the board first as junior attacker Janet Studdiford (Wyndmoor, PA/Springside School) scored off a feed from junior midfielder Minta Sayres (East Haddam, CT/Westminster School) with 23:41 to play in the opening half. The Saints scored the next three goals, however, to take a 3-1 lead with 18:48 to go. WC then scored three straight goals to pull in front, 4-3. Junior attacker Casey Sawma (Conway, MA/Stoneleigh-Burnham) scored off a feed from sophomore attacker Lindsey Eichner (Raritan, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) with 15:42 on the clock, freshman midfielder Emmy Hyde (Gaithersburg, MD/Watkins Mill) scored off a Studdiford assist with 14:49 left, and Sawma scored again off an Eichner feed with 8:55 to go to complete the run. St. Lawrence held the Shorewomen scoreless the rest of the period and took a 5-4 lead into the break after Katie Gauthier scored off a pass from Hadley Quish with 8:00 to go and Leah Yandow scored off a pass from Susanna Whitaker-Rehilly with 2:55 remaining.

The Shorewomen tied things up at 5-5 with 27:59 to go in the second when Eichner found Sawma for the third time on the day. St. Lawrence pulled back in front with a goal by Carolyn Cherry at 25:04, but Sawma answered with a goal off a pass from senior midfielder Betty Weller (Sudlersville, MD/Queen Anne's County) with 22:28 left. The Saints again went ahead by one with 13:21 left when Jenny Heffler scored, but the Shorewomen quickly tied things up at 7-7 just 16 seconds later as Weller scored an unassisted goal.

Washington would then go on a decisive 3-0 run. Senior attacker Paige Heller (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) scored off a Studdiford pass with 9:38 left, Studdiford scored off a feed from sophomore midfielder Tarra Boulden (Newark, DE/Tower Hill) with 4:01 to go, and Hyde fired in a goal with 1:19 left to make it 10-7. Heffler scored with 1:09 left to provide the final margin.

Sawma's four goals led the WC offense. Studdiford tallied two goals and two assists, while Eichner recorded three assists. Freshman goalie Ashley Crisler (Manchester, MD/North Carroll) made 14 saves in net for the Shorewomen.

Heffler finished with three goals to lead St. Lawrence.

Washington will play 12th-ranked host Franklin & Marshall in the championship game tomorrow at noon. It will be the third meeting of the season between the two teams. F&M won each of the first two.

BOX SCORE

Washington Goals - Casey Sawma 4, Janet Studdiford 2, Emmy Hyde 2, Betty Weller, Paige Heller.
Washington Assists - Lindsey Eichner 3, Janet Studdiford 2, Minta Sayres, Tarra Boulden, Betty Weller.
St. Lawrence Goals - Jenny Heffler 3, Leah Yandow 2, Carolyn Cherry 2, Katie Gauthier.
St. Lawrence Assists - Hadley Quish, Susanna Whitaker-Rehilly.

Washington Saves - Ashley Crisler 14 (8 GA/60:00).
St. Lawrence Saves - Desiree McKoan 14 (10 GA/60:00).

Shots - SL 27, WC 26.
Ground Balls - SL 17, WC 15.
Draw Controls - WC 12, SL 8.

EXPANDED WC STATS