Gross Nets Hat Trick, McGeachey Makes Five Saves In Goal As Second Ranked Women's Lacrosse Sees 2007 Campaign Come To Close With 11-8 Setback To Top Ranked C.W. Post In NCAA North Region National Semi-Finals

May 12, 2007

STONEHILL WOMEN'S LACROSSE

2007 NCAA Division II National Semi-Finals

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Spartan Field, Salem, Va.

FINAL: C.W. POST 11, STONEHILL 8

1 2 - Total

Stonehill (18-2) 3 5 - 8

C.W. Post (16-0) 7 4 - 11

SCORING SUMMARY

STO GOALS: Liza Gross (3), Michelle Kelly (2), Tracey Hoffman,

Jackie Ladino, Michelle Salmon

STO ASSISTS: Hoffman, Mary Maloney

CWP GOALS: Shannon Fabian (3), Jenna Miller (2), Mallory Poole (2),

Katie Hogan (2), Elaine Williams, Kim Williams

CWP ASSISTS: Miller (3), Jaclyn Napoli (3), Fabian, Lauren LoMonaco

GOALIE SAVES

STO: Amanda McGeachey--5

CWP: Lauren Scipione--6

SALEM, Va.-- Senior Shannon Fabian (Rocky Point, N.Y.) netted a hat trick, while junior Jenna Miller (Silver Spring, Md.) added a pair of goals and three assists to lead top-seeded and top-ranked C.W. Post to an 11-8 victory over second-seeded and second-ranked Stonehill in the 2007 NCAA Division II North Region National Semi-Finals played Saturday

afternoon at Spartan Field.

The Pioneers, now 16-0 overall, will meet the South Region's top-seed, West Chester (19-1), for the 2007 national championship Sunday afternoon at Spartan Field beginning at 12:07 p.m., as the Golden Rams advanced with a 16-14 victory over second-seeded and fifth-ranked Lock Haven in the first national semi-final of the day.

Fabian netted a pair of goals in the first 19-plus minutes of action as C.W. Post raced out to a 6-1 advantage with 10:28 remaining in the opening half, but markers off the sticks of sophomores Michelle Kelly (Mendham, N.J.) and Michelle Salmon (East Islip, N.Y.) enabled the Skyhawks, who finish the season at 18-2 with both setbacks coming to the Pioneers, to close back to within 6-3 in the closing minutes of the half. Junior Mallory Poole's (Corning, N.Y.) tally with 1:23 to play before intermission extended C.W. Post's lead to 7-3 at the break, but markers by Kelly and freshmen Liza Gross (Loudonville, N.Y.) and Jackie Ladino (North Dartmouth, Mass.) in the first nine-plus minutes of the second half that followed a Pioneer tally enabled Stonehill to close to within 8-6 with just over 20 minutes remaining. The Skyhawks won the subsequent draw with a chance to pull closer, but back-to-back goals by Fabian and sophomore Katie Hogan (Farmingdale, N.Y.), the latter coming with 13:49 remaining, extended C.W. Post's lead to 10-6, and tallies by Gross and senior Tracey Hoffman (Nashua,N.H.) sandwiched Hogan's second of the day to close out the scoring, as the Pioneers controlled the ball for the final three-and-a-half minutes to advance to the title match.

Poole and Hogan each finished with a pair of goals in the win for C.W. Post, which also received single markers off the sticks of junior Elaine Williams (East Islip, N.Y.) and freshman Kim Williams (Long Valley, N.J.). Fabian added an assist to finish with four points for the Pioneers, who also received a single helper off the stick of senior Lauren LoMonaco (Massapequa, N.Y.). Gross netted an assist to lead the Stonehill attack on the afternoon, while Kelly added a pair of tallies for the Skyhawks, which also received a goal and an assist from Hoffman as well as an assist from sophomore Mary Maloney (Great River, N.Y.).

"I couldn't be more proud of the way my team played today against a great C.W. Post team," Stonehill Head Coach Michael Daly said following the match. "There weren't a lot of people that gave us a chance to compete in this game, but I think we showed what we were made of--we left everything we had on the field, and that is a testament to our seniors, captains and everyone that is part of this program."

Junior Lauren Scipione (East Meadow, N.Y.) picked up her 16th win in goal for C.W. Post with six saves on the day, while junior Amanda McGeachey (Saco, Maine) made five stops in net for Stonehill as the Pioneers outshot the Skyhawks by a 21-19 margin for the match.

C.W. Post notched its first NCAA tournament win since taking the 2001 national crown with a triumph over West Chester, as Stonehill had won its last two post-season contests against the Pioneers in the 2002 and 2003 national semi-finals. The Skyhawks suffered just their third setback

in NCAA tournament play against five all-time victories, as either C.W. Post or West Chester will join Stonehill and Adelphi as the only two-time national champions in Division II history.