ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - - A record-setting season for the Wilmington University women's lacrosse team comes to a close in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Semifinal on Thursday, falling to top-seed and host Dominican, 20-6, at O'Brien Field.
The Wildcats won a program record 14 games this season, advancing to the CACC Tournament Semifinal for the fifth straight season. The Wildcats also set numerous team and individual records this season, including 338 goals, 190 assists, and 344 draw controls.
The Wildcats (14-5) hung with Dominican (15-3) in draws, with the Chargers holding a slight, 16-14, advantage. But the Wildcats turned the ball over too many times, including on each of their first two offensive possession to start the game, committing 24 in the game as compared to the Chargers' 10.
The Chargers scored the first four goals of the game before the Wildcats finally got on the board with 59 seconds to play in the first quarter. Makenzie Stritzinger scored on a free position attempt to make it 4-1 at the end of the first quarter.
Riley McQuaide answered a Dominican goal to start the second quarter to make it a 5-2 game, but then the Chargers scored back-to-back goals to stretch the lead out to 7-2 with 9:31 to play. Ella Royer got on the board with a man-advantage goal with 6:57 to play, but the Chargers responded by scoring the final four goals of the second quarter, going into the break with an 11-3 lead.
The Wildcats started the third quarter with an Ella Royer goal, but the Chargers responded with back-to-back goals. The Wildcats tried cutting into the deficit again with back-to-back goals for the first time in the game, as Stritzinger and Amelie Gamache scored to make it 13-6. But the Wildcats couldn't draw any closer, as the Chargers scored the final goal of the quarter to lead, 14-6, going into the final frame.
The Wildcats did not record a shot in the fourth quarter, as Dominican scored six times to stretch the lead out to 20-6.
Makenzie Stritzinger scored two goals to go with an assist while Ella Royer scored two goals while adding three draws and four ground balls. Amelie Gamache had a goal and five draws in the game. Katie Vindigni made 17 saves. Dominican outshot the Wildcats, 47-14.
Dominican advances to the CACC Tournament Championship on Sunday and will face No. 3 Georgian Court at home.