Women's Lacrosse Headed For Virginia

First Hamilton team to reach NCAA tournament semifinals

Members of the women's lacrosse team celebrate their win against Middlebury (John Hubbard photo)

Hilary Saverin '10 gave nationally ranked No. 4 Hamilton College the lead for good on a goal with 21:22 left in regulation and the Continentals went on to a 9-7 win against visiting Middlebury College in an NCAA Division III championships tournament quarterfinal game played at Campus Road Athletic Field on May 11.

The women's lacrosse team is the first Hamilton program to reach the semifinals of any NCAA tournament in any sport. The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) did not permit its member schools to participate in the NCAA championships in team sports until the 1993-94 academic year.

The Continentals (19-1 overall) have won a program-record 17 straight games overall and 22 in a row at home. Hamilton takes on undefeated and top-ranked Salisbury University in one semifinal game in Salem, Va., on Saturday, May 17, at 11:30 a.m.

Saverin scored both of her goals in the second half. Jen McGowan '08 and Kate Marek '09 chipped in two goals apiece. Kaillie Briscoe '09 added one goal and one assist, and Nicole Tetreault '08 was credited with two assists. Briscoe is the first player in team history to post 100 points in one season as she has recorded 101. Tetreault is in fifth place on the program's career list with 178 points.

Both Sarah Bray '11 and Liz Rave '10 found the back of the net once. Kate Fowler '10 made six of her eight saves in the first half. McGowan and Liz Benjamin '09 collected three ground balls apiece while Catie Gibbons '09 won two draw controls.

The Continentals led 5-3 at the half, but No. 7 Middlebury (12-5) tied the score with two goals in the opening 3 minutes, 54 seconds of the second half. Saverin put Hamilton back in front with an unassisted goal before the Panthers tied the score at 6-6 with 23:15 left in regulation. Saverin's second goal -- on an assist from Briscoe -- put the Continentals ahead to stay with 21:22 remaining.

McGowan pushed the Hamilton advantage to 8-6 with 12:30 left when she scored a free-position goal. The Continentals were 1-for-4 on 8-meter shots. Tetreault and Briscoe hooked up to give Hamilton a three-goal lead with 9:34 remaining. Tetreault was awarded a free-position shot, but instead of shooting, she found Briscoe open in front and to the right of the crease, where Briscoe buried her 62nd goal this year.

Middlebury cut its deficit to two on the Panthers' third free-position goal of the day with 4:27 left, but didn't get any closer. Middlebury had reached the NCAA semifinals in all of its previous 14 tournament appearances since 1994.

Hamilton grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first 73 seconds of the first half on goals by Rave and McGowan. The Panthers responded with three straight goals and took their only lead at 3-2 with 21:33 remaining in the half. The Continentals closed out the half with a 3-0 run of their own. Marek tallied two of the three goals and Bray added the other. Both teams finished with 21 shots.

Hamilton head coach Patty Kloidt, who has guided the Continentals for six years and led Division I Le Moyne College for another four, recorded the 100th victory of her coaching career. Hamilton has a 5-3 record in four trips to the NCAA championships. The Continentals were held to single digits in goals for the first time this year.

Middlebury has won five NCAA crowns and has played in the championship game seven times. The Panthers received an at-large bid after finishing first in the NESCAC during the regular season. Middlebury's record in the NCAA tournament dipped to 36-10.

Hamilton had never played the Panthers before Sunday's NCAA quarterfinal clash.