Box Score

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – A flurry of offense over the final 20 minutes of action propelled the No. 11 Susquehanna women's lacrosse team to a 15-10 win at Catholic, thus clinching the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Landmark Conference Tournament in the process.

It also marked SU's first-ever win against the Cardinals (7-8, 3-1) and improved the team's record to 13-0 on the season, including a 3-0 mark in Landmark Conference games. Susquehanna's opponent in the first round of the playoffs is still to be determined.

Emma Ehler (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) accounted for nine points on the afternoon with her six goals and three assists. Michelle McGinniss (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) and Brynn Reid (West Grove, Pa./Avon Grove) each netted four goals apiece with McGinniss also adding an assist. Goalie Emily Stankaitis (Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) racked up 12 saves in her 60 minutes of action.

The Crusaders edged the Cardinals in nearly every category, including shots (35-31) and free-position goals (4-of-9). Catholic, meanwhile, had 31 turnovers to SU's 26 with Ainsley Rossitto (Rocky Hill, Conn./Kingswood-Oxford) leading the way for SU with five caused turnovers.

The first half went decidedly the way of Catholic as the Cardinals jumped out to a 3-1 lead after less than five minutes of play and led 5-4 with 9:18 on the clock.

Ehler was able to tie the game at five but the teams proceeded to swap goals for the remaining nine minutes of the half. Catholic's Emily Downs scored the final goal of the period with 1:18 remaining to give the Cardinals a 7-6 halftime lead.

Unfortunately for Catholic, SU scored eight of the 12 second-half goals. Reid and McGinniss combined for three goals over a four-plus minute span to put the Crusaders in the lead at 9-8.

Catholic's Nicole Laitner tied it at nine but Susquehanna responded by rattling off five unanswered goals, three of which came from Ehler, to quickly give SU a five-goal advantage (14-9) with 3:37 remaining.

Laitner struck again with 1:51 on the clock to make it a four-goal game (14-10) but McGinniss added an insurance goal at the 1:17 mark and the Crusaders went on to the 15-10 victory.

SU remains on the road this Wednesday, April 24, with a 7 p.m. game at Marywood.