PHOTO FOR PUB / JOSEPH FINN
The women’s lacrosse team celebrated their five seniors on Saturday, April 23 with a blowout 18-4 win over Gwynedd Mercy University.
The matchup was also the final regular season conference game for the Cavaliers who finished a perfect 9-0 on the season.
With this win, the five seniors capped off a perfect 34-0 record in conference play, including three straight CSAC championships and an NCAA tournament win.
“It has been such an honor to say that I have been on a winning team for my four years,” Caitlyn Poole, senior attacker, said. “It has been awesome to finish my career in conference play undefeated.”
“This past weekend winning our senior game was a great feeling,” Krista Hoffman, senior attacker, said. “Not only for the seniors but the entire team in general.”
“We’ve had some tough games over the past couple of years but they have made us a better team by playing against the teams in the CSAC,” Hoffman said.
Although it was senior day, the Blue and White saw major contributions from the underclassmen.
Jess Breuning, junior midfielder, led all 10 scorers with four goals. Sasha Wozniak, sophomore
attacker and Jenn Robinson, junior attacker added three goals a piece.
Jackie Neary, sophomore defender scored two goals while Allie Vallen, junior attacker pitched in with a goal and three assists.
Early on the Cavaliers took the lead with an opening goal by Emily Crouse, sophomore attacker, just three minutes into the game. Within the next 10 minutes the Blue and White built a hefty 6-0 lead. Gwynedd Mercy made their first appearance on the scoreboard by scoring a goal at 19:45.
Robinson completed a hat trick and then Wozniak went off and scored three straight goals of her own. Wozniak then assisted Poole who notched the net with 75 seconds left in the first half.
The Blue and White went in to halftime with an 11-1 advantage.
The Cavaliers continued to put the hammer down in the second half. Neary and Breuning combined for five goals over a nine minute stretch. Sara Johnsen, sophomore attacker, ended the scoring midway through the second half.
Senior Mo, O’Connell and freshman Katie Kucia contributed by causing three turnovers each. O’Connell and and Lee also rounded up three draws each.
Goaltenders Megan Barlow, junior and Devon Scharf, freshman, combined for five saves.
The Blue and White received the number one seed and overall home court advantage in the upcoming CSAC tournament.
By being the first seed, the Cavaliers will also receive an automatic bid into the semifinal game which will take place on Wednesday, May 4. The time is still to be determined.
“I hope to keep the win streak as we go into the playoffs this next week,” Poole said. “My goal for the team is to win semifinals and win the CSAC to go to the NCAA tournament for my fourth year.:
The two seniors seem to be on the same page.
“I hope that we can play our game and advance to the CSAC championship,” Hoffman said.
“My expectation is that we do our best and enjoy what we are doing so that in return we can get as far as we can so that I can hold on to as many days that I have left in my lacrosse career,” Hoffman said.
