Susquehanna Pulls Away For A 16-10 Win Over Royals In Landmark Semifinal Action Wednesday Evening At Fitzpatrick Field

Box Score


Erin Pfail	Kailyn Angelo	Emily Goss	Meghan Kerr

Box

SCRANTON, Pa.—Junior midfielder Annie McElaney (Natick, Mass./Natick) and senior attacker Meredith Crane (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) combined for 11 goals to lift Susquehanna University past The University of Scranton, 16-10, in Landmark Conference women’s lacrosse semifinal action Wednesday evening at Fitzpatrick Field.

The Crusaders, now 8-7, also received two goals from sophomore attacker Kelcie Ehler (Chatham, NJ/Chatham), a goal and two assists from senior attacker Brynn Reid (West Grove, Pa./Avon Grove), a goal and an assist from junior midfielderBecky McHugh (Royersford, Pa./Archbishop John Carroll), and a goal from sophomore attacker Ashley Rose Lynn (Millburn, NJ/Millburn).

Susquehanna will advance to Saturday’s Landmark title game against top-seeded and 13th-ranked Catholic University, which defeated Goucher College, 17-4, in the other semifinal matchup.

Sophomore midfielder Meghan Kerr (Warwick, NY/John S. Burke Catholic) led the Royals, who put the wraps on a 6-10 season, with three goals and two assists, senior midfielder Emily Goss (Morristown, NJ/Morristown) had three goals and an assist, freshman midfielder Erin Pfail (Garden City, NY/Sacred Heart Academy) scored three goals, and junior midfielder Erin Allen (Syosset, NY/Our Lady of Mercy Academy) finished with a goal and an assist.

The game seesawed back and forth until the Crusaders came up with two key runs. Near the end of the first half, McElaney scored three goals to spark a 5-2 rally that broke a 4-4 tie to give Susquehanna a 9-6 lead at intermission. Then, after Kerr and Goss scored goals within 66 seconds of each other to slice the Crusaders lead to 9-8 early in the second half, Crane scored twice during a 5-1 run that put Susquehanna firmly in command, 14-9, with less than 13 minutes remaining.

The Royals managed only one more goal the rest of the way, that coming from Pfail on a play set up by freshman Lindsay Tattory (Robbinsville, NJ/Notre Dame), who finished with three assists, with 6:44 remaining.

Scranton’s inability to hang on to the ball hurt it chances dearly tonight. The Royals committed 30 turnovers—its second highest total of the season—with many of them coming after they won a draw control. The Crusaders’ ability to stick-check effectively created numerous Scranton miscues, especially in the second half

For the game, Susquehanna caused 18 turnovers, including four by Ehler and three each by junior defender Zoe Lycett (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) and senior defender Chelsea Bosi (East Windsor, NJ/Notre Dame). The Crusaders also held a 30-24 advantage in shots.

Defensively, Scranton was led by freshman Kailyn Angelo (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) and Allen, each of whom caused three turnovers. Angelo and Pfail also combined to win nine of Scranton’s 15 draw controls.

With four points tonight, Goss ends her brilliant career as the fifth all-time leading scorer in Royals’ history with 188 points (173 goals, 15 assists). She is also fourth all-time in goals scored.