Towson, MD – Marlo Tersigni netted the game-winning goal with 1:01 left in the game as she converted a free-position shot to lift Goucher College past St. Mary's (Md.) College, 10-9, in quarterfinal action of the 2007 Capital Athletic Conference Women's Lacrosse Tournament on Sunday afternoon.

Following Goucher's go-ahead goal, sophomore midfielder Lauren Carrier (Crownsville, MD/Old Mill) won the ensuing draw control but the Seahawks turned the ball over with 45 seconds on the clock. Senior attacker Amanda Jones (Annapolis, MD/Severn) caused a Gopher turnover and grabbed the ground ball with 14 ticks left but another SMCM turnover at 0:12 would stymie any scoring attempts.

Goucher (8-7), the No. 5-seed in the tournament, advances to Tuesday's semifinal match-up at top-seeded Salisbury University who was a 24-2 victor over eighth-seeded Marymount (Va.) University today.

The first part of the first half was back-and-forth between the teams as the game was tied two-all at 21:27. After St. Mary's (8-8) notched its third goal of the game to go up 3-2 at 19:32, the Gophers had three different players tally goals for a 5-3 Goucher lead at halftime.

The start of the second stanza featured a Gopher sandwich as Sandy Okun's (25:24) and Tersigni's goals (21:53) surrounded sophomore midfielder Allie Zerhusen's (Cockeysville, MD/The Park School) score at 24:23, giving Goucher a three-goal cushion (7-4

However, senior attacker Danielle Miller (Montville, NJ/Montville) sparked a 4-0 run by the Seahawks with her goal at 20:21. Following the run, St. Mary's boasted an 8-7 lead with 13:48 remaining in the game. The Gophers regained the lead (9-8) at 9:06 on Brittany Foster's unassisted goal.

Sophomore attacker Emily Norris (Timonium, MD/Dulaney) knotted the game at 9-9 at 5:06 with her third goal of the day as Norris put the finishing touches on a free-position shot. Norris would finish the day with three goals for the Seahawks.

Carrier and freshman attacker Kelsey Branch (Jarrettsville, MD/North Harford) each added a goal and two assists, while Carrier paced St. Mary's with six draw controls as well as three caused turnovers and Branch had five ground balls.

Senior goalie Melissa Puzak (Arnold, MD/Broadneck) turned away nine shots in the loss.

The Seahawks return to action on Saturday, May 5 when they host Frostburg State University in the regular season finale at 2:00. Prior to the start of that game, St. Mary's three seniors will be honored and at halftime, all Seahawk alumnae will be recognized.

2007-04-22