LEXINGTON, Va. -- Tenth-ranked Washington and Lee claimed the top seed for the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Women's Lacrosse Tournament with a 12-6 win over Roanoke on Friday afternoon at the W&L Lacrosse Stadium. The Generals finish the regular season with a 7-1 conference mark, while the Maroons conclude the regular season with a 6-2 ODAC record.
The Generals (12-3 overall) couldn't shake Roanoke for most of the opening half before breaking a 3-3 tie with a pair of goals in the final 45 seconds of the first half. Senior attacker Kelly Taffe (Charlottesville, Va./Albemarle) scored on a free-position shot with 45 seconds left, then found the net again off an assist from senior attacker Lee Wheeler (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr) with four seconds remaining.
W&L scored the first goal of the second period as sophomore midfielder Kate Lester (Wilmington, Del./Friends) scored unassisted at the 20:49 mark to give the Generals a 6-3 lead. After the teams traded goals over the next two minutes, the Maroons scored a pair of goals to pull within 7-6 with 12:53 remaining. However, W&L scored the final five goals of the game, including two by Taffe, for the six-goal margin.
Taffe led the Generals with four goals and two assists. Wheeler notched three goals and one assist, while Lester found the net three times. Senior Joanna Perini (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington) notched 14 saves in goal.
Roanoke (8-5 overall) was led by senior midfielder Carrie Smith (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello), who scored a goal and assisted on another. Sophomore goalie Danielle Serratore (Conshohocken, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) kept the Generals at bay for most of the afternoon, recording 19 saves.
Washington and Lee will host eighth-seeded Bridgewater on Wednesday in the opening round of the ODAC Tournament. The game time is yet to be determined.
SCORING:
W&L GOALS - Kelly Taffe 4, Kate Lester 3, Lee Wheeler 3, Louisa Feve 1, Erin Rathbone 1.
W&L ASSISTS - Kelly Taffe 2, Maggie Megear 1, Lee Wheeler 1.
RC GOALS - Cantey Bailey 1, Meaghan Cromwell 1, Emily Hearn 1, Rachel Hutchinson 1, Mary Stewart Malone 1, Carrie Smith 1.
RC ASSISTS - Carrie Smith 1.
GOALTENDING:
Joanna Perini (W&L) 60:00, 6 GA, 14 Saves
Danielle Serratore (RC) 60:00, 12 GA, 19 Saves
-- GENERALS --
