LEXINGTON, Va.—The top-seeded and sixth-ranked Washington and Lee women's lacrosse team claimed its sixth-straight ODAC championship title with a 13-4 victory over second-seeded Roanoke on Sunday at Watt Field.
With the win, the Generals will receive an automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Tournament and set a new program record for wins in a season (17), besting the previous record of 16 in 2006.
W&L (17-2) opened the first-half with seven-unanswered goals, including three tallies from freshman midfielder Emily Mathews (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr), to take a 7-0 lead at 11:28. RC found the back of the net at 8:06 when sophomore midfielder Gina Valles (South Windsor, Conn./Westminster) scored on a free-position shot, but W&L senior attacker Christine Bender (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) added a goal for an 8-1 advantage at the half.
The Generals began the second half scoring when junior attacker Kelsi Robinson (West Chester, Pa./Westtown) found sophomore attacker Britten Mathews (Richmond, Va./Collegiate) at 24:31 to up the lead to 9-1. The Maroons then added two more markers, including one from freshman Meegan Rourke (Greenwich, Conn./Millbrook School) and another from sophomore midfielder Paige Mason (Orangeville, Canada/Orangeville), to cut W&L's advantage to 9-3 at 17:27. However, the Generals scored four out of the last five goals of the game to ensure their 10th all-time ODAC title.
W&L was paced by Emily Mathews, who scored four goals. Bender tallied two goals and one assist, while junior attacker Katie Flippen (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Academy) amassed two goals. Robinson registered one goal and dished out two assists. Senior Sarah Tilbor (West Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) played all 60:00 between the pipes and stopped 13 shots.
RC (10-8) was led by Mason, who notched two goals and one assist. Rourke and Valles added one goal apiece. Junior goalkeeper Katlyn Scarlett (Reisterstown, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) played the entire contest and made nine saves.
Washington and Lee will find out its first opponent for the 2008 NCAA Tournament on Sun., May 4.
RC GOALS:
Paige Mason 2; Gina Valles 1; Meegan Rourke 1
RC ASSISTS:
Paige Mason 1
W&L GOALS:
Emily Mathews 4; Christine Bender 2; Katie Flippen 2; Kelsi Robinson 1; Laura Henson 1; Britten Mathews 1; Colleen Evans 1; Megan Slosson 1
W&L ASSISTS:
Laura Henson 2; Kelsi Robinson 2; Christine Bender 1; Colleen Evans 1; Britten Mathews 1; Kat Michaels 1
GOALKEEPERS:
Katlyn Scarlett (RC): 60:00, 13 GA, 9 saves
Sarah Tilbor (W&L): 60:00, 4 GA, 13 saves
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