Box Score
SALISBURY, MD – The Catholic University women’s lacrosse team held on for a 17-15 win over Rowan University in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
Catholic (17-4) will play host Salisbury University (21-0) in the region final on Sunday at 1 p.m. Salisbury rolled over St. Mary’s College (MD), 22-9 in the second round. Rowan ends the season with a 13-5 record. It was the Profs’ sixth appearance in the national tournament. In the first round, Rowan defeated Montclair State University, 17-6 (May 7).
Midfielder Kate Robinson (so. Emmitsburg, MD/Catoctin) led the Cardinals with five goals and midfielder Marcy Cuneo (sr. Haddonfield, NJ/Camden Catholic) followed with four. Attacks Laura Haring (so. Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) and Lindsay Davenport (fr. Delran, NJ/Delran) and midfielder Katie Bitonti (jr. North Potomac, MD/Our Lady of Good Counsel) each contributed with two goals. Midfielder Caroline Taltavull (fr. Gaithersburg, MD/Gaithersburg) and attack Lauren Sheils (so. Hanover, MD/Archbishop Spalding) had one goal apiece.
For the Profs, attack Lauren Crennan (so. Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) scored five goals and had one assist. Attack Caitlin Meseroll (sr. Oakhurst, NJ/Ocean Twp.) totaled three goals and midfielder Alayna Morris (so. Columbus, NJ/Northern Burlington Reg.) had three goals and one assist. Midfielder Patricia Harrington (fr. Suffern, NY/Suffern) added two goals and two assists. Midfielders Carly Welsh (jr. Allenwood, NJ/Wall) and Nicole Valianti (fr. Oaklyn, NJ/Collingswood) each hit the net one time.
Catholic took 31 shots and Rowan totaled 28. Melissa Brashear (so. Pittsburgh, PA/Oakland Catholic) made eight saves in the Cardinals’ goal. Profs’ goalie Alicia Mannino (jr. Richboro, PA/Conwell-Egan Catholic) stopped nine shots. Midfielder Alayna Morris compiled six draw controls and midfielder Kerry O’Donnell (sr. Toms River, NJ/Toms River E.) recorded five ground balls.
The second half started with the Cardinals ahead 8-7. Catholic went up 11-7 with three straight goals in 4:04. Taltavull scored the first one and Cuneo had two straight. Rowan answered with three scores to trail by one (11-10). Crennan found the net two times and Harrington posted a free position goal. The two teams exchanged goals three more times then Bitonti scored for a two point advantage (15-13). Crennan recorded her fifth goal of the game to pull the Profs within one. Robinson had a free position goal that put the Cardinals up by two (16-14). Welsh cut the deficit to one with an unassisted goal with 2:35 remaining. With 1:30 left, Davenport scored Catholic’s final goal of the game.
In the first half, Rowan got on the scoreboard first with Meseroll’s goal on a free position. Valianti had the Profs’ second goal at 9:14 with an assist from Harrington. Haring scored Catholic’s first goal 13 seconds later. Rowan went up 5-1 after three straight goals, one from Meseroll, Morris and Crennan. Catholic pulled within two (5-3) after Davenport and Haring each scored once. The Profs followed with goals by Harrington (18:36) and Morris (19:20) to lead
7-3. The Cardinals came back with five unanswered goals to take over the lead. Robinson hit the net for the first three. Cuneo tied the score at seven and Sheils put the Cardinals on top for the first time (8-7).
