BOSTON - The 12th-ranked Boston University lacrosse team captured its fifth straight America East Championship with a 16-6 triumph over 17th-ranked New Hampshire on Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field. Senior Sarah Dalton was named Most Outstanding Player after tying a tournament record with six goals in the title game. The Terriers improve to 15-3 and will find out their NCAA tournament opponent when selections are announced on Sunday (May 3) at 10:00 p.m. on CBS College Sports.

Dalton's six goals followed a five-goal performance in the semifinals to amount to a new tournament record of 11 goals. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by a trio of Terrier teammates in junior attack McKinley Curro, who totaled 12 points in the tournament, sophomore midfielder Corcoran Downey, who tallied eight ground balls and caused six turnovers, and senior defender Kelly Munroe, who anchored the BU defense that allowed only 6.50 goals per game.

Curro scored three goals and added three assists in the title tilt and junior Xan Weitzel chipped in a goal and four assists. Sophomore Rachel Collins and senior Steph Walker each scored a pair of goals for the Terriers, while junior Erica Baumgartner and sophomore Alyssa Kovach also got on the board. Senior Rachel Klein made eight saves in net, allowing only six goals, and tied her career high with five ground balls.

The Terriers became the first team in America East history to win five straight women's lacrosse championships and have now captured eight overall, more than all other teams combined. BU will be appearing in the NCAA tournament for the seventh time and fifth year in a row.

Senior Sarah Von Bargen scored three goals in defeat for the Wildcats, who conclude their campaign with a 12-7 mark. Von Bargen was named to the All-Tournament Team, along with junior attack Shaunna Kaplan and senior defender Beth Stankus.

Walker opened the scoring just over two minutes into the contest for BU, but Von Bargen leveled the score soon after with 25:15 on the clock in the first. After that point, the Terriers reeled off eight unanswered goals over the next 20 minutes to put the game out of reach before halftime. Von Bargen and Keagins got a pair back within the final five minutes, but Dalton struck with the final tally of the first to give the Terriers a 10-3 lead at the half.

Dalton and Baumgartner scored within the first six minutes of the second half and another three-goal spurt featured a tally from Collins and two from Dalton that made the score 15-4 with 8:35 to go. The Wildcats managed two more goals down the stretch, but a final score from Collins restored a 10-goal lead for the Terriers.

Freshman Kate Gunts made five saves in goal for the Wildcats as the Terriers held a 26-20 advantage in shots. BU held a 15-13 edge in ground balls and draw controls were even at 12 apiece.

The Terriers will be back in action on May 10 for a first round game in the NCAA tournament against an opponent to be determined.

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BOSTON -- Sarah Von Bargen (East Setauket, N.Y.) scored three goals to lead the University of New Hampshire attack, but the 17th-ranked Wildcats were defeated 16-6 by 12-ranked and top-seeded Boston University in Saturday afternoon's title game of the America East Women's Lacrosse Championship at Nickerson Field.

UNH, which entered the game with a four-game winning streak, ends its season at 12-7 and as the league runner-up for the sixth time in eight years. BU won its 13th consecutive game – 11th in a row in the series vs. New Hampshire – to improve to 15-3 and advance to the NCAA tournament.

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2009-05-02