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American Women’s Lacrosse Falls in Patriot League Championship
Top seed Lafayette downs No. 2 Eagles, 11-6

April 28, 2002

Katy Zaweski scored a hat trick for the Eagles in the Patriot League Championship Game.

EASTON, Pa. — A furious second half comeback fell short for the American University women’s lacrosse team as Lafayette defeated the Eagles, 11-6, for the Patriot League Championship. Sophomore Katy Zaweski (Huntington, N.Y./Harborfield) scored her first career hat trick for American (10-7) in the defeat.

The game began similarly to Saturday’s semifinal against Villanova for the Eagles. American’s opponent jumped out to an early first half lead. Heather McClelland scored just 1:45 into the game for Lafayette (13-6) and she scored again at the 13:32 mark. Stephanie Tinney scored for the Leopards just 20 seconds later before McClelland added her third goal of the game. Kim Maron scored the fifth goal of the half for Lafayette to give them a 5-0 halftime advantage.

After winning the draw control to start the second half, Jennifer Stone scored for Lafayette to open a 6-0 advantage for the Leopards. Then, just like the semifinal match yesterday, the Eagles stormed back. Nicole McCarthy (Flourtown, Pa./Springfield) scored an unassisted goal at the 3:20 mark. Zaweski scored her first goal of the game on a free position shot one minute later.

The American run continued as Nadia Harmsen (Buzzards Bay, Mass./Tabor Academy) scored off a feed from Tara Michael (Owings, Md./South River). Zaweski then cut through the middle of the Lafayette defense to score at the 6:10 mark. Michael added a goal on a free position spot just over a minute later to cut the Lafayette lead to 6-5.

The Eagles could get no closer in the game as Lafayette responded with three unanswered goals. Zaweski scored her third goal of the game off of a long pass from Adele Fenwick (Chevy Chase, Md./Stone Ridge) to cut the deficit to three. Lafayette added two more goals in the final five minutes of play to seal the victory.

Goalkeeper Laura Randisi (Towson, Md./Notre Dame Prep) had another solid game in goal, saving 12 Leopard shots. McCarthy had seven ground balls and three caused turnovers for the Eagles and Holly Deland (Washington, D.C./Potomac School) added five ground balls and four caused turnovers. Laura Repoli (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) had four draw controls on the afternoon.

American concludes its regular season as they travel to Loyola to face the No. 5 Greyhounds. The game starts at 3:30.

Goals: AU - Zaweski 3, Harmsen, McCarthy, Michael; LC - McClelland 5, Stone 2, Gallagher, Maron, Marvin, Tinney.
Assists: AU - Fenwick, Michael; LC - Gallagher 2, McGuinn 2, Tinney 2.
Shots: AU - 20; LC 30.
Saves: AU - Laura Randisi 12; LC - Leela Strong 10.