Springfield, Mass. - April 24, 2021 - The Springfield College women's lacrosse team advanced to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship after battling to a 14-11 semifinal victory over Wheaton on Saturday afternoon at Stagg Field. 

The top-seeded Pride advanced to its sixth-consecutive NEWMAC Championship as it improved to 4-0 on the season.  The Lyons season comes to a close with a 2-4 mark. 

Kate Sarnacki (Granby, Mass.) registered a career-best six assists while Katie Martel (Hartland, Conn.) returned to the lineup and netted a game-high four goals.  Taylor Pichel (Hopkinton, Mass.) added three goals and Katie Campbell (Somers, N.Y.) picked up a game-high eight draw controls.  Colleen Browne (Westford, Mass.) was credited with 10 saves in the win as the Pride held a slight 32-31 edge in shots and held the Lyons to 18-for-25 on clear attempts.  Springfield was hampered by 23 turnovers, including 16 in the first half, but was able to control possession by winning 17 of the game's 27 draw controls.

For Wheaton, Jena Casman totaled 10 saves in goal, while Danielle Trudeau posted a team-best four points on a goal and three helpers.  Brooke Harvey also added two goals and an assist and Erin Ortega snagged a team-best six draw controls. 

Springfield opened up the scoring at the 25:49 mark after a transition opportunity resulted in Maddie Roy (Wilbraham, Mass.) finding Martel for a strike.  The Lyons responded 45 seconds later on a free-position goal from Harvey and would take their only lead of the half with 23:13 on the clock after Avonlea LeBeau shook her defender and buried a shot on the run.  Springfield responded with a pair of goals from Gabby Fogg (Wells, Maine) and Martel to regain a 3-2 lead with 15:26 remaining in the frame.  After Darien Webb jammed in a goal on the crease for the Lyons at 10:10, Pichel registered a pair of strikes just 36 seconds apart, including a free-position goal with eight minutes on the clock. The Lyons cut it to a one-goal when Emma Ford converted all alone in front of the cage, only to have Sarnacki delivered her third assist of the afternoon to Roy for a man-advantage goal at 4:37 to make it a 6-4 game at the halftime break. 

Wheaton seized momentum to start the second, rattling off three-consecutive goals in the opening 4:27, capped off by a man-down goal in transition by Trudeau.  The Pride answered back with three goals of its own to regain the lead for good as Fogg, Arielle Johnson (Woodstock, Conn.), and Martel each scored in a 4:09 span to make it a 9-7 game.  Springfield would push its advantage to 11-8 with 11:18 left in regulation when Martel took a feed from Fogg and ripped a shot in the top corner, but Wheaton would not go away quietly, as a free-position goal from Webb capped off a 3-1 burst to make it a 12-11 contest with 2:26 on the clock.  

Campbell won the ensuing draw and Anjelia Altebrando (Miller Place, N.Y.) picked the ball off the turf in an unsettled situation in front of the cage and found the back of the net with 1:27 remaining.  The Pride would add an insurance goal in the waning seconds and Sarnacki connected with Johnson for a goal as the final horn sounded. 

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