Colgate Sinks Navy in Patriot League Title Game
4/26/2009 4:45:47 PM
HAMILTON, N.Y. (4/26/09) – Courtney Miller (Chappaqua, N.Y.) and Colleen Bubnack (Syracuse, N.Y.) combined for seven goals and nine points as Colgate successfully defended its Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Tournament title with a convincing 17-4 victory over third-seeded Navy, Sunday afternoon at Tyler’s Field.
The Raiders, who downed American 12-8 in last year’s finale, received a four-goal performance from Miller and three goals and two assists from Bubnack in the triumph. Additionally, Meghan Lawler (Liverpool, N.Y.) finished with a four-point afternoon versus the Midshipmen with two goals and two assists.
Colgate, which advanced to this year’s title game with a 15-11 victory over Bucknell, Friday evening, will wait until next weekend when the 2009 NCAA Tournament field will be announced. The opening round is set to begin May 10. Colgate, now 14-4 overall, will not have to participate in the NCAA play-in game this season, like it did in 2008. This will be the Raiders’ fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the program’s history. Previously, the Raiders advanced to the national tournament in 2004, 2005, and 2008.
Colgate trailed only once in the contest at 1-0. With the contest all squared at 3-3, the Raiders closed the final 10 minutes of the opening half with four consecutive goals. Lawler gave Colgate the lead for good with her 36th of the year with 7:10 left. Bubnack increased the cushion to two goals on an unassisted goal less than three minutes later. After Miller found the back of the net on a successful free position shot with 1:20 left, Bubnack returned to the scoring column with her third goal of the half with 13 seconds left before intermission.
Leading 7-3 at intermission, the Raiders upped the advantage to 10-3 with goals from Lizzie Kusbit (Rockville, Md.), Brie Moran (Little Silver, N.J.) and Miller in the opening 10:09 of the second half. After Navy posted its first goal in nearly 24 minutes of action with 15:15 left, Colgate finished off the game with seven consecutive goals to close the contest. Lawler’s second goal of the game with 11:38 left gave the Raiders a 10-goal lead and the clock didn’t stop from that point on. Freshman Katie Sullivan (Cockeysville, Md.) and Molly Carroll (Swarthmore, Pa.) each scored twice in the final 10:30 of the game.
Colgate outshot Navy 34-14. Sara Drexler (Pottstown, Pa.), who improved to 9-3 overall, saved four shots in 53 minutes of action before being taken out to a standing ovation. Christina Roa (Potomac, Md.) finished off the final seven minutes in the victory. Elaina Ponchione, a second team Patriot League honoree, went the distance in net for the Midshipmen and saved 11 shots.
Offensively, Navy was led by first team all-league performer Erin Rawlick, who was held to two goals and an assist. Mary Ruttum and Lexi Daugernheim scored the other goals for the Midshipmen, who saw their season end at 13-5.
Bubnack was named the tournament MVP at the conclusion of the game. The sophomore, a first team all-league honoree, tallied five goals, two assists, 10 ground balls, and caused eight turnovers in the two games. Maddie Kearns (Chevy Chase, Md.), Carroll, Lawler, as well as Drexler also represented Colgate on the all-tournament team.
Rounding out the all-tournament team included Sara MacIntyre and Meagan Tenety (Lehigh); Bonnie Buechel and Catherine Barry (Bucknell), and Kristen Laraway, Rawlick and Ponchione (Navy).
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