From our friends at Catholic University Athletics...
The Catholic University of America women's lacrosse team captured its fourth straight Landmark Conference Championship Title with a 16-6 victory over the University of Scranton Royals on Saturday afternoon.
The conference title is Catholic's ninth since the formation of the league in 2007. With the victory, the Catholic women's lacrosse class of 2017 becomes the first class in program history to go undefeated against Landmark opponents throughout their entire career.
Catholic senior Laura Dunn was honored as the 2017 Landmark Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player. During the Championship game, Dunn registered a team-high six points with four goals and two assists. In the Landmark Conference semifinal game versus Drew University, she recorded eight points on four goals and four assists.
Fellow senior Jenna Van Middelem recorded a season-high eight groundballs in the championship game while classmate Allie Bond won four draw controls.
Junior Nicolette Crisalli tied Dunn's team-high of four goals. The pair got right down to business, scoring Catholic's opening five goals.
Crisalli scored just 55 seconds into the game with an assist from Dunn. Dunn put two unassisted in the cage next before Crisalli went back-to-back for a 5-1 Catholic lead in the first 20 minutes.
With under five minutes to play in the first half, senior Ana Brandenburg completed a goal off a pass from Dunn and sophomore Jessica Lyons scored with an assist from senior Clair Schmitzer. The Royals snuck one more in the net before the break and the Cardinals held an 8-2 lead at halftime.
The Royals advanced their score to three with the opening goal of the second half. Dunn answered with a goal less than a minute later. Fellow senior Alexis Bosilovic scored next followed by Dunn's final goal of the event.
In the last 20 minutes of the Landmark Conference 2017 Championship game, the Royals sent three more balls into the cage. The rally would not be enough as Catholic registered five to bring its final tally to 16.
Brandenburg and Bosilovic along with fellow senior Elizabeth McCooey (two) and freshman Julia Clementi each scored in the final minutes lifting Catholic to its triumph.
Nationally ranked, No. 14 Catholic now heads to the NCAA women's lacrosse championship tournament. The Cardinals' opponent and game location will be announced on Sunday, May 7, during the NCAA Tournament selection show at 9:30 PM.
All Cardinal fans are encouraged to follow all of Catholic Athletics and sign up for "email-alerts" that sends the latest news directly to your phone, tablet or device. Also, be sure to follow the Cardinals on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
Click here for today's box score.
