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- Thread starter Nittany Ned2
- Start date
greatly appreciated, Nittany Ned. Appears that game was closer than I expected.
Kenzie Kent was a great LAX player in high school. And she was on the USA U-18 team. Her mom, Jennifer, was also a LAX star in HS and college, and went on to be a very successful LAX coach at the high school level. She's been an assistant LAX coach at BC for the past 9 years, so BC had a bit of an advantage when recruiting Kenzie.
update and looky here who won the DIII Women's Lax Tourney....
http://www.gettysburgsports.com/new...-clutch-as-bullets-win-ncaa-championship.aspx
SALEM, Va. – Sophomore Steph Colson (Westminster, Md./Manchester Valley) scored with 2:57 left and Gettysburg rode out the remaining time after winning the final draw control to secure its second NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship with a 6-5 victory over top-ranked The College of New Jersey Sunday at Kerr Stadium on the campus of Roanoke College.
Gettysburg (21-3) earned its second national championship in its first appearance in the title game since 2011. The seventh-ranked Bullets avenged a one-goal regular season defeat at the hands of TCNJ (19-2) earlier in the season by netting the final two goals of the game following a four-goal run by the Lions.
"It was a hard-fought victory," stated Head Coach Carol Cantele '83. "Two exceptional teams giving it their all, battling to the final finish. I'm so proud of the fight that our players had and their hustle and heart."
Colson posted a pair of goals in the game and added a second national title to the family mantle with younger sister Lizzie helping the University of Maryland win the Division I title over Boston College Sunday afternoon. The Gettysburg sophomore took care of business late in the game, completing a clear attempt and beating her defender with a strong charge to the cage.
"Sometimes when you're running down the field you just get tunnel vision and if you see one girl in front of you, you just have to take it," noted Colson, who was named NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Senior Emma Christie (Cos Cob, Conn./Greenwich) tallied two goals and senior goalie Shannon Keeler (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) posted six saves and three ground balls. Keeler, senior attacker Caroline Jaeger (Hampton, N.J./North Hunterdon), and junior Cassie Smith (Phoenix, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) were each named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
Gettysburg's second national crown did not come without its share of adversity. The Bullets carried a 4-1 lead into the break, but TCNJ did what great teams do in these situations by mounting a furious comeback. Mia Blackman kicked off a four-goal run with a free-position goal with 25:58 to play. Kathleen Jaeger, first-cousin to Gettysburg's Jaeger, tallied the game-tying goal with 17 minutes left. The defenses pitched a shutout over the next nine minutes before Kathleen Jaeger snuck through the defense and ripped a shot into the net to make it 5-4 with 8:34 left.
"We knew they're very good drivers and knew how to create opportunities for getting on the eight," noted Cantele. "You could also see that moment of where they said this is not happening. They're one of the most competitive teams we go up against year-in and year-out."
The Bullets, ever confident in their skills and abilities, did not fold under the pressure and it was a first-year that helped set the stage for a thrilling end. After Caroline Jaeger controlled the ball for Gettysburg, freshman Courtney Patterson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional) found a seam in the defense and forced her way to the front of the cage for the equalizer with 7:36 to go.
"I think it speaks to their mentality all year," said Cantele. "They know the game isn't over until the final whistle blows. They've focused all season on being in the now and thinking strong and being fully present."
After getting beat 5-1 on draws in the first half, Gettysburg grabbed 6-of-7 draw controls in period two. The Bullets managed to grab the ensuing draw and ran two minutes off the clock before a turnover. The miscue didn't prove costly as junior Ali Gorab (Southport, Conn./Ludlowe) caused a turnover and Keeler recovered the ground ball.
That set the stage for Colson's late-game heroics in just her fifth game back from an injury that sidelined her seven weeks. Junior Katie Willis (Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep) fought her way to the final draw control to seal the victory. Gettysburg's passing was pristine as the team evaded the last-ditch effort to regain possession by TCNJ.
"This is an absolute dream," said Keeler. "But it came with a lot of hard work and tears, and ups and downs, and adversity. I'm not that surprised because I knew this team was special. There's just some sort of chemistry that I'd never experienced before. Everyone was just so motivated by the same vision."
After beating Trinity (Conn.) College 8-4 in the semifinals on Saturday, Gettysburg carried that momentum into its sequel with the Lions. The Bullets turned in the first two goals with Colson scoring the first unassisted and Christie the second on a free-position goal. Amanda Muller scored for TCNJ to make it 2-1, but Gettysburg shut down the Lions' attack as Keeler recorded five of her saves in the opening half.
"Our mindset just followed from yesterday," said Caroline Jaeger. "We just wanted to play exactly how we did when we were up yesterday. That second-half run against Trinity was big for us and we just tried to keep that same mindset going into today."
Christie tacked on another free-position score and Caroline Jaeger laced a free-position shot of her own into the goal to give Gettysburg a 4-1 leading heading into the break.
Following the game, Cantele was quick to point out the leadership of her five seniors – Christie, Jaeger, Keeler, Macauley Mikes (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), and Katelyn Neillands (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge). After the final horn sounded, the five seniors were among the first to grab the national trophy and hoist it high.
http://www.gettysburgsports.com/new...-clutch-as-bullets-win-ncaa-championship.aspx
SALEM, Va. – Sophomore Steph Colson (Westminster, Md./Manchester Valley) scored with 2:57 left and Gettysburg rode out the remaining time after winning the final draw control to secure its second NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship with a 6-5 victory over top-ranked The College of New Jersey Sunday at Kerr Stadium on the campus of Roanoke College.
Gettysburg (21-3) earned its second national championship in its first appearance in the title game since 2011. The seventh-ranked Bullets avenged a one-goal regular season defeat at the hands of TCNJ (19-2) earlier in the season by netting the final two goals of the game following a four-goal run by the Lions.
"It was a hard-fought victory," stated Head Coach Carol Cantele '83. "Two exceptional teams giving it their all, battling to the final finish. I'm so proud of the fight that our players had and their hustle and heart."
Colson posted a pair of goals in the game and added a second national title to the family mantle with younger sister Lizzie helping the University of Maryland win the Division I title over Boston College Sunday afternoon. The Gettysburg sophomore took care of business late in the game, completing a clear attempt and beating her defender with a strong charge to the cage.
"Sometimes when you're running down the field you just get tunnel vision and if you see one girl in front of you, you just have to take it," noted Colson, who was named NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Senior Emma Christie (Cos Cob, Conn./Greenwich) tallied two goals and senior goalie Shannon Keeler (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) posted six saves and three ground balls. Keeler, senior attacker Caroline Jaeger (Hampton, N.J./North Hunterdon), and junior Cassie Smith (Phoenix, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) were each named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
Gettysburg's second national crown did not come without its share of adversity. The Bullets carried a 4-1 lead into the break, but TCNJ did what great teams do in these situations by mounting a furious comeback. Mia Blackman kicked off a four-goal run with a free-position goal with 25:58 to play. Kathleen Jaeger, first-cousin to Gettysburg's Jaeger, tallied the game-tying goal with 17 minutes left. The defenses pitched a shutout over the next nine minutes before Kathleen Jaeger snuck through the defense and ripped a shot into the net to make it 5-4 with 8:34 left.
"We knew they're very good drivers and knew how to create opportunities for getting on the eight," noted Cantele. "You could also see that moment of where they said this is not happening. They're one of the most competitive teams we go up against year-in and year-out."
The Bullets, ever confident in their skills and abilities, did not fold under the pressure and it was a first-year that helped set the stage for a thrilling end. After Caroline Jaeger controlled the ball for Gettysburg, freshman Courtney Patterson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional) found a seam in the defense and forced her way to the front of the cage for the equalizer with 7:36 to go.
"I think it speaks to their mentality all year," said Cantele. "They know the game isn't over until the final whistle blows. They've focused all season on being in the now and thinking strong and being fully present."
After getting beat 5-1 on draws in the first half, Gettysburg grabbed 6-of-7 draw controls in period two. The Bullets managed to grab the ensuing draw and ran two minutes off the clock before a turnover. The miscue didn't prove costly as junior Ali Gorab (Southport, Conn./Ludlowe) caused a turnover and Keeler recovered the ground ball.
That set the stage for Colson's late-game heroics in just her fifth game back from an injury that sidelined her seven weeks. Junior Katie Willis (Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep) fought her way to the final draw control to seal the victory. Gettysburg's passing was pristine as the team evaded the last-ditch effort to regain possession by TCNJ.
"This is an absolute dream," said Keeler. "But it came with a lot of hard work and tears, and ups and downs, and adversity. I'm not that surprised because I knew this team was special. There's just some sort of chemistry that I'd never experienced before. Everyone was just so motivated by the same vision."
After beating Trinity (Conn.) College 8-4 in the semifinals on Saturday, Gettysburg carried that momentum into its sequel with the Lions. The Bullets turned in the first two goals with Colson scoring the first unassisted and Christie the second on a free-position goal. Amanda Muller scored for TCNJ to make it 2-1, but Gettysburg shut down the Lions' attack as Keeler recorded five of her saves in the opening half.
"Our mindset just followed from yesterday," said Caroline Jaeger. "We just wanted to play exactly how we did when we were up yesterday. That second-half run against Trinity was big for us and we just tried to keep that same mindset going into today."
Christie tacked on another free-position score and Caroline Jaeger laced a free-position shot of her own into the goal to give Gettysburg a 4-1 leading heading into the break.
Following the game, Cantele was quick to point out the leadership of her five seniors – Christie, Jaeger, Keeler, Macauley Mikes (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), and Katelyn Neillands (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge). After the final horn sounded, the five seniors were among the first to grab the national trophy and hoist it high.
I don't disagree in principal -- I just wonder about the logistics. That would be 6 matches on the semifinal day. That's a lot of wear and tear on the field, unless it is turf. And Memorial Day weekend is somewhat questionable weather wise -- last year it was unseasonably warm at Talent Energy Park, and this year it rained cats and dogs on semifinal day at Gillette Stadium. Turf could handle the wear and team, and if designed properly the rain. Unfortunately, it's a negative if the weather is warm. Plus in the years they have the men's and women's at the same location, that's that much additional wear and tear on the field, or the possibility of being impacted by weather as there would be much less flexibility in terms of postponing the start of matches.
Plus, you'd probably have to start the first match of semis around 10:30 am to get all 6 in during the day, while also allowing time between matches, time for the teams to warm up, etc. It's frustrating enough that the women are on the Friday/Sunday schedule at NCAAs (for D1and for DII -- DIII went Sat/Sun this year). By playing morning or early afternoon semi matches on Friday, it makes it tough for all but the most diehard fans to be in attendance, or to watch the video stream.
The carnival atmosphere would be awesome.
Suppose you did it like this. Instead of a pro stadium, have it at a college campus. Let's pick on PSU. The D1 women's mens could be in the Beav same schedule as always. Prior to their game, or between game, have the DII guys and girls play at the lacrosse stadium, anybody that wants to go, could with a ticket to be big event, but really how many would? Plus you save wear and tear on the Beav. I don't know, but is there a lacrosse/football practice field large enough that you could bring in some temporary bleaches, have the DIII womens men at that venue. At worse double dip in the Lacrosse stadium. Just an idea, but it seems on college campus there are more stadiums as opposed to the pro stadiums. Yes, you could have it at say Ravens stadium (cant remember the name) but then where do you have DII and DIII? It would be a night mare getting around Baltimore to get to say Loyola, UMBC or Towson's stadium from downtown to pack it all in.
Kenzie Kent is obviously an amazing athlete. She is also a key member of BC's women's hockey team, which has been to three straight Frozen Fours. Pretty impressive.
If you get in the right city, there often is more than one decent college stadium--for this level--and some have pro options. Heck, Columbus could do it with the availability of their lacrosse, etc. stadium (Owens), Mapfre Stadium (where the Crew play), and their new pro lacrosse stadium--and it would all be on grass. You would also have Ohio Stadium as well as Capital's artificial fields as well as Otterbein's grass field. That's just one example.
That's certainly been done in the past. Just last year, the women's NCAA D1 Final Four was held at Talent Energy Park, in Chester, PA, while the men's NCAA D1 Final Four was held at Lincoln Financial Park, in Philadelphia, PA. The two stadiums are about 8-10 miles from each other, in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
