The ninth-ranked University of Mary Washington women's lacrosse team knocked off Westfield State University, 20-5, in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday in Middletown, CT. UMW advances to the second round where they will take on #7 Wesleyan (CT.) at 1 p.m. The Eagles improve to 16-4 overall on the season. Senior Julia Albert led the way for UMW as she scored six goals on the season.
Westfield State got the scoring started as they scored on a free position shot just 46 seconds into the game. From there, UMW seized control of the game as they scored five straight goals to take a 5-1 lead with 21:46 remaining in the first half.
Hope Lockwood began the run with a goal at the 28:13 mark and Albert then scored her first goal of the game on a man-up opportunity to give UMW the lead. After another goal by the Eagles, Allison Davis added two straight goals to cap the run for UMW to hold a four goal lead. The Owls ended the run with a goal in a man-up opportunity with 18:05 left.
UMW answered with seven straight goals to extend their lead to 10, 12-2. Mackenzie Maguire scored unassisted, then Albert scored unassisted and then Savannah Boyd scored off an assist from Davis to put the Eagles' lead at 8-2 with 15:04 to play. Albert added her third goal of the day on an assist from Maguire, then Paige Haskins joined in on the action to score her lone goal of the day with 13:17 remaining. Lockwood scored off an assist from Kate Sovero and Kristen Kunaniec put the Eagles up 10 on a goal, unassisted, with 9:11 remaining.
Both teams went silent over the next nine minutes and the Owls scored the last goal of the half with 35 seconds left to put the game at 12-3.
Albert added to her goal count in the second half as she scored on a free position shot two minutes in and then scored unassisted with 24:10 left to put the Eagles ahead 14-3. Westfield State added a goal just 40 seconds later. Albert scored her sixth goal of the day, this time assisted by Maguire, to go back up 11, 15-4. Boyd added a goal on an assist from Lockwood with 15:08 left, but a Westfield State goal brought the deficit back to 11.
Over the last 9:55, the Eagles shut down the Owls and did not concede a goal. In those remaining minutes, UMW took advantage as they added four more goals. Rebecca Pullen scored off a Kennedy King assist, then Sovero scored on a man-up opportunity to go up 18-5. Morgan Shorts added a goal off an assist from King and then Tess Siburn scored the last goal for the Eagles off an assist from King to help UMW win 20-5.
Davis led the team with eight draw controls, while Rylie Cole had four draw controls. Albert, Davis, and Maguire all picked up two ground balls a piece. Hanna Ashby made six saves in goal and Reilly Miller saved two on the day.
UMW led in shots 42-14, draw controls 20-7, and ground balls 10-6.