HARTFORD, CT - The Amherst College women's lacrosse team suffered an 11-7 defeat to Trinity College this evening in the Lord Jeffs 2009 regular-season finale. With the loss, Amherst's fourth straight, the Jeffs fall to 6-7 on the year, and 3-6 in NESCAC play. Despite the result, the Lord Jeffs earned the 8th, and final, spot in the upcoming NESCAC Championship Tournament and will travel to face top-seed Tufts on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.

Trinity First-year goalkeeper Gina Dinallo (West Hartford, Conn.) made 16 saves and sophomore Caitlin Irvine (Westwood, Mass.) and first-year Liz Bruno (Andover, Mass.) scored two goals apiece to lead Trinity on Sheppard Field. Trinity, ranked No. 11 in the nation, improves to 10-3 overall and 6-3 in the league win the win.

Amherst jumped out to a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game after a Trinity goal got called back, but it was the last lead the Lord Jeffs would see, thanks to several key stops in net by Dinallo and a consistent offensive pace.

Bruno tied the game at 1-1, and Rachel Romanowsky (Hampstead, N.H.) scored to put the Bantams up 2-1. Trinity increased their advantage to 6-3 by halftime, a lead that Amherst would immediately threaten in the opening moments of the second half. The Lord Jeffs scored two goals in the first three minutes of the final half, closing the gap to 6-5 in Trinity's favor. The Bantams distanced themselves from the Lord Jeffs, by answering with four consecutive goals to increase their lead to 10-5.

Amherst scored with 6:33 remaining in the game in a last ditch effort to make a comeback, but Bruno would close the match how she started it for the Bantams, with a goal, officially putting the game out of reach for the Lord Jeffs. Amherst, who outshot the Bantams 29-27, would add a late goal, but nothing more.

Senior Amy Craig (Denver, Colo.) tallied three goals and first-year Lindsey Moran (Upper Montclair, N.J.) scored two to lead the Lord Jeffs offense. Trinity senior Jesse Schultz (Troy, N.Y.) scored a goal and collected two assists in the game.

Trinity hosts Williams in the opening round of the NESCAC Championship Tournament this Sun., April 26 at noon on Robin Sheppard Field.

2009-04-25