W&L Headed to NCAA Tournament with Conference's Automatic Bid

WINCHESTER, Va. --- Washington and Lee outscored Shenandoah, 8-6, in the second half to claim an 11-8 win and be named the ODAC Women's Lacrosse Champions on Saturday at Shentel Stadium.

With just a 3-2 lead at halftime, first-year midfielder Emily Conway (Darien, Conn./Greenwich Academy) gave W&L (10-9) a 4-2 advantage with a goal at 25:03 in the second period. SU (12-5) senior midfielder Corrinne Kosmowski brought the lead back down to one (4-3) with a player-up goal off a free position as the clock read 24:28.

Conway scored for the third time at the 23:08 mark (5-3), but sophomore midfielder Liz Bereit also registered a tally just 1:11 later to pull the score to 5-4 at 21:57.

Jumpstarted by a goal by junior attacker Margaret Klein (North Andover, Mass./Brooks) at 18:40, the Generals scored three-straight to take their largest lead (8-4) of the contest with 13:08 to play. SU ended the run as junior attacker Samantha Donaghy found the back of the net at the 11:58 mark (8-5), and junior midfielder Samantha Sisson pulled the Hornets to within two (8-6) off a free position goal at 9:52.

W&L answered with another three-goal run over the next 4:21, pushing the lead to 11-6 with only 5:31 left on the clock. Shenandoah attempted a comeback with two more goals in the final 2:35, but it was not enough as the Generals claimed the program's 14th ODAC Championship.

The first period was held close as the teams exchanged goals. Conway opened the game's scoring with an unassisted goal at the 23:20 mark. Bereit then evened the score, 1-1, off a free position shot just 2:08 later.

First-year attacker Carly Taglienti (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) put the Generals back on top with a tally at 11:03, only to have junior midfielder Samantha Sisson throw in a tying goal for the Hornets with 7:53 left in the half, 2-2. Junior attacker Katie Hagen(West Chester, Pa./Notre Dame) knocked in one more goal off a feed from Taglienti as the half ended, giving W&L the 3-2 lead at the break.

In goal for the Blue and White was sophomore Cara Mulligan(Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge), who collected 10 saves, eight goals-against and five ground balls in 60 minutes of action. Junior Ashley Cross tallied eight saves and 11 goals-against, while spending the entire game in the cage for the Hornets.

Klein led all scorers with four goals, and Conway chipped in three tallies. Junior attacker Meade Brewster (Brookside, N.J./West Morris Mendham) added one goal, five draw controls, three ground balls and two caused turnovers.

For SU, Sisson paced the group with two goals, one assist, three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Bereit recorded two goals, two ground balls and two draw controls, and Kosmowski totaled two tallies, three ground balls and two draw controls.

The All-Tournament Team was also announced at the conclusion of the game and five Generals were selected for the honor. Hagen, Brewster, Mulligan, Conway and first-year defender Rebecca Dean (Ellicott City, Md./Archbishop Spalding) were each named to the team.

With the win, W&L earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, set to begin May 8 at selected on-campus sites. The Generals will receive their first round matchup on Sunday.

2013 ODAC Women's Lacrosse All-Tournament Team
Jenelle Whitman, Randolph-Macon
Nicole Woodworth, Randolph-Macon
Liza Mettler, Guilford
Marina Bailey, Guilford
Ashley Cross, Shenandoah
Samantha Sisson, Shenandoah
Corrinne Kosmowski, Shenandoah
Rebecca Dean, W&L
Emily Conway, W&L
Katie Hagen, W&L
Meade Brewster, W&L
Cara Mulligan, W&L

--- This release is courtesy of the Washington and Lee University sports information department. ---
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