College Women’s Lacrosse Final – #12 Washington and Lee 9, Guilford 6 (ODAC Tournament Final)

LEXINGTON, Va. – Top-seeded Washington and Lee University captured its league-record 15th Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Women’s Lacrosse Tournament Saturday with a 9-6 win over third-seeded Guilford College. The Generals (16-2), ranked 12th in this week’s Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Association Division III Coaches’ Poll, captured the ODAC’s automatic NCAA Division III Tournament berth.

Guilford (12-7) awaits word of a possible at-large selection to the national tournament. The Quakers were seeded fifth in the most recent NCAA Division III South Atlantic Region rankings, two spots behind Washington and Lee.

The host Generals combined strong defense with effective ball possession to hold Guilford to its fewest goals in a match since a 2012 loss to Washington and Lee. All-ODAC Tournament goalie Cara Mulligan made eight saves, five in the second half. The Generals kept the Quakers scoreless for the final 23:39 of the first half and netted five straight goals to open a 6-1 halftime lead. Lauren Procaccino tallied twice in the decisive run.

Guilford’s Eleanora Keene opened the second-half scoring with the first of her game-high three goals. The Generals’ Carly Taglienti and Melissa Coggins answered with back-to-back tallies, which opened an 8-2 Washington and Lee lead with 20:27 left in regulation.

The Quakers made it an 8-4 game on consecutive free-position goals by Lily Colley, and nearly pulled to within 8-5, but Mulligan made a point-blank save on a Guilford breakaway with 13:15 remaining. The Generals’ cleared the ball into the Quakers’ zone and Margaret Klein converted a Procaccino feed for her second goal and a 9-4 Generals’ edge with 10:52 remaining.

Keene tallied with 9:58 left, but the Generals held the Quakers scoreless until Keene scored with 12.6 seconds to play. Washington and Lee effectively worked the clock on its offensive possessions and also benefited from a three-minute extra-player advantage due to a Guilford yellow card at the 6:41 mark.

Klein and Procaccino both scored three points on two goals and one assist for Washington and Lee and were two of the Generals’ five all-tournament team picks. Defenders Leanne Stone and Olive Waxter also made the team. Washington and Lee outshot Guilford, 24-19, including 17-7 in the first half. The Generals also had 23 of the game’s 36 ground balls and picked up 10 of the game’s 17 draws. Guilford entered the game ranked first in NCAA Division III with over 19 draws per game.

Keene and Colley both scored three goals apiece and represented Guilford on the all-tournament team. Rookie goaltender Sammi Milbourn made nine saves and also earned all-tournament recognition.

The NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Tournament field will be announced Sunday, May 4, on www.ncaa.com.