PhilaU Downs Chestnut Hill 18-11 to Claim Second CACC WLAX Title in Last Three Years
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LAKEWOOD, N.J. (May 8, 2016) -- For the second time in the last three years, the Philadelphia University women's lacrosse team sits alone atop the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) after the Rams knocked off Chestnut Hill College, 18-11, in the final of the CACC Tournament Sunday at Georgian Court University.
Philadelphia, which last won the conference championship in 2014, ended the 2016 season with a 14-5 overall record and claimed the third conference title in program history. The Rams were a perfect 9-0 in the CACC during the regular season to also claim the league's regular season title.
The Rams used a balanced offensive attack with eight different players scoring at least one goal. In addition to the oustanding offensive pace, PhilaU received a sensational defensive effort from tournament most valuable player Katie Parent, along with timely saves from goalie Corinne Etter. Both individuals were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts.
Parent had three ground balls, three draw controls, three caused turnovers, a pair of goals, and one assist in the final. During the tournament, Parent recorded three goals, two assists, 10 ground balls, five draw controls and five caused turnovers.
After making a career-high 13 saves in the semifinal round (a 12-8 win over Holy Family), Etter stopped seven Chestnut Hill shots, picked up two ground balls, and dished out one assist.
Elizabeth Seitzinger, who scored a match-high five goals in the final, scored two early as the Rams sprinted out to a 6-1 advantage in the early stages of the contest. Liz Mower, Kathryn Avanzato, Courtney Shaw and Isabella DiGnazio also scored during the surge.
Philadelphia led 10-5 at the break as the Rams and Griffins (11-8) alternated goals over the final 13:25 of the half. DiGnazio scored two of Philadelphia's four goals, while Alyssa Matthews and Seitzinger had the others. Laura Dunne assisted on three of the goals as part of a one-goal, five-assist afternoon.
The Rams opened the second half just as strong as the first half, scoring five of the first six goals, to widen the margin to 15-6. The run consisted of goals by Seitzinger, DiGnazio, Avanzato, Dunne and Parent.
Chestnut Hill didn't fold and tried to remain in the contest and even managed to close the gap to 16-9 with 9:25 left in the contest with a 3-1 run, including two markers from Emorie Keimig. Keimig had five goals for the second day in a row and was also placed on the all-tournament team, along with teammates Lea Sanders and Jacklyn O'Leary. Sanders notched a marker in the contest and made several nice one-on-one moves all weekend.
Mower scored with 4:11 remaining to make the score 17-10 and passed Emily Ray for the most goals in a single season with 71. Ray had 70 goals during the 2012 campaign. DiGnazio finished the match with four goals, three ground balls, two caused turnovers, and one draw control. Mower ended up with two goals, one assist, three draw controls, one ground ball and one caused turnover.
Despite the loss, Chestnut Hill finished the season with a respectable 11-8 record. Not picked near the top in the 2016 CACC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll, the Griffins used the snub to go 8-1 in conference play during the regular season, earn the No. 2 seed in the tournament and a first round bye. The season definitely set a positive tone for what sure is to be an exciting future for the Griffins.
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference composed of 14 institutions in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The member institutions are Bloomfield College, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Concordia (N.Y.) College, Dominican (N.Y.) College, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Nyack College, Philadelphia University, Post University of Waterbury, University of the Sciences, and Wilmington University.
2016 CACC WOMEN'S LACROSSE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Sara LeBrun (Wilmington)
Erin Harmer (HFU)
Ursula Coyle (HFU)
Callie Brown (GCU)
Melissa Williams (GCU)
Lea Sanders (CHC)
Emorie Keimig (CHC)
Jacklyn O'Leary (CHC)
Liz Mower (PhilaU)
Katie Parent (PhilaU)
Corinne Etter (PhilaU)
Isabella DiGnazio (PhilaU)
MVP: Katie Parent