St. Mary's City, Md. – Junior attacker Emily Norris (Timonium, Md./Dulaney) netted the game-winner with 3:45 left in regulation, advancing No. 14 St. Mary's College of Maryland to Saturday's NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Regional Semifinal as the Seahawks posted a 16-15 triumph over Fairleigh Dickinson University, College at Florham Wednesday afternoon in NCAA first round action.

The Seahawks (15-5), who are appearing in their seventh NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Tournament, will now face No. 1 Salisbury University (20-0) at 11:30 a.m. in Salisbury, Maryland in the first of two regional semifinal contests being hosted by Salisbury. Saturday's match-up will be the third meeting between the two teams this season with the Sea Gulls coming away with two victories (18-11 on April 5 at St. Mary's and 18-7 on April 25 in the Capital Athletic Conference Championship at Salisbury).

St. Mary's is now 3-6 in NCAA Tournament play following today's victory. The Seahawks were paced by junior midfielder Lauren Carrier (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) who tallied a game-high five goals, while sophomore attacker Kelsey Branch (Jarrettsville, Md./North Harford) dished out a game-best four assists.

Leading FDU-Florham (16-3) in its first-ever NCAA appearance was junior attacker Amanda Wayne (Bellport, N.Y./Bellport) with four goals and an assist. Junior midfielder Laura Gambardello (Pennsauken, N.J./Pennsauken) added a pair of goals and one assist.

It was a tight game throughout as the Devils edged SMCM, 8-7, in the first half, overcoming an early 2-0 lead by St. Mary's with a 5-1 run to claim a 5-3 margin at 11:58 on senior attacker Erika Sensbach's (Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington) first tally of the afternoon. Junior midfielder Allie Zerhusen (Cockeysville, Md./Park) put the Seahawks within one with 3:14 left in the half.

FDU-Florham built its lead to 11-8 in the second half with 25:26 remaining in the contest following an unassisted goal by sophomore attacker Linda Bohn (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Twp.). A 5-1 Seahawk run helped regain the lead at 8:31 (15-13) as Carrier scored twice in the run.

With 4:01 on the clock, sophomore attacker Kristen Schuster (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach) knotted the game at 15-15 as Schuster completed a pass from Gambardello.

The 2008 CAC Rookie-of-the-Year, freshman midfielder Aileen McCausland (Phoenix, Md./Hereford) recorded a hat trick, while sophomore attacker Nora Fallon-Oben (Silver Spring, Md./St. John's College [D.C.]) chipped in a goal and two assists, including setting up the game-winner.

Sophomore defender Karisa Carroll (Long Island, N.Y./Ward Melville) grabbed a game-high five draw controls, while Carrier and senior midfielder Elizabeth Northfield (Arnold, Md./Broadneck) each had four as the Seahawks won 20 of 33 draws.

Bohn, Sensbach, and midfielders Erin Reilly (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) and Lindsey Parent (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) all scored twice for the Devils, while Schuster finished the game with a goal and an assist. Wayne had four draw controls, while Reilly notched three.

Freshman goalkeeper Ella Schoming (Westminster, Md./North Carroll) played tough in goal, making seven saves in the victory, while junior Christine Dunn (Pennsauken, N.J./Pennsauken) also had seven stops in the Devil loss.

Box Score

2008-05-07