SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Junior midfielder Katie Crawford (Mahopac, NY / The Masters School) scored a game-high four goals while classmate Athena Samaras (Annapolis, MD / Annapolis) and senior midfielder Niamh Shortt (Salisbury, MD / Wicomico) added three goals apiece to propel host Swarthmore to an 11-8 victory over Wellesley in the championship game of the 15th Seven Sisters Lacrosse Championship on Sunday afternoon.

It is the second Seven Sisters lacrosse title in four finals appearances for the Garnet; Swarthmore (6-0) won its first championship in 1995.

Garnet sophomore Megan Sanborn (Lewiston, NY / Nichols School), named tournament Most Valuable Player, spent the entire weekend controlling play on both ends of the field. The midfielder tallied five goals, nine draw controls, and seven caused turnovers, including five in the championship game on Sunday. Junior Lindsay Roth (Severna Park, MD / Severn School) scored six goals on the weekend to make the All-Tournament team for the second straight year.

After reaching its Seven Sisters-record tenth championship game, Wellesley (2-3) placed three women on the All-Tournament team: junior midfielder Maxine Brownstein (Roseland, NJ / West Essex Regional), senior attack Katie Moseley (Denver, CO / Wheat Ridge), and sophomore midfielder Amber Evans (Worthington, OH / Thomas Worthington).

The third-place game turned into a thriller as Mount Holyoke sophomore attack Danielle Babcock (Lexington, MA / Lexington) tied the game at 12-12 with eight seconds to left in regulation. Haverford freshman Liz Koelmel (Hamburg, NY – Nichols School) put home the game-winner with 1:42 remaining in overtime to send the Fords (4-1) to victory.

2005 champion Vassar (4-1) won its second game of the tournament with a 14-4 win over Smith in the 5th-place game on Sunday morning. Junior attack Ali Fantl (W. Hartford, CT / Hall), an All-Tournament selection, picked up her third hat trick in as many games in the first fifteen minutes of play as the Brewers raced to a 10-0 lead. Brewers goalkeeper Ariel Nelson (Greenlawn, NY / Harborfields) made eleven saves in goal on Sunday, earning her a second consecutive All-Tournament nod.

In the seventh place game, Bryn Mawr sophomore midfielder Greta Flaherty (Cumberland, ME / Waynflete) scored her second straight hat trick, leading the Owls to a 12-1 triumph. Sophomore Zoe Fuller-Young (Phoenixville, PA / The Hill School), an All-Tournament selection, added a pair of goals and seven ground balls.

Started in 1980 at Barnard College, Seven Sisters Championships are conducted in the sports of basketball, crew, cross-country, field hockey, squash, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball. Only five of the original Seven Sisters (Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Vassar, and Wellesley) remain; Haverford and Swarthmore were invited as "cousins" while Elms has joined for this tournament to make an even eight participants.

All-Tournament Team
(MVP) Megan Sanborn -- Swarthmore
Marika Austin – Mount Holyoke
Maxine Brownstein -- Wellesley
Amber Evans -- Wellesley
Ali Fantl -- Vassar
Zoe Fuller-Young – Bryn Mawr
Katie Moseley -- Wellesley
Ariel Nelson -- Vassar
Lindsay Roth -- Swarthmore
Sara Smyth -- Smith
Alexandra Shookhoff -- Haverford
Caitlin Taylor – Mount Holyoke

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Day Two Results

Championship Match: Swarthmore 11, Wellesley 8
Third-place Match: Haverford 13, Mount Holyoke 12 OT
Fifth-place Match: Vassar 14, Smith 4
Seventh-place Match: Bryn Mawr 12, Elms 1

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Day One Results

First Round
Wellesley 15, (1) Vassar 12
(2) Haverford 18, Smith 13
(3) Swarthmore 14, Elms 0
(4) Mount Holyoke 10, Bryn Mawr 8

Second Round
Wellesley 11, (4) Mount Holyoke 8
(3) Swarthmore 13, (2) Haverford 5
(1) Vassar, 14, Bryn Mawr 10
Smith 17, Elms 5

2006-03-19