WELLS, MOUNT ALOYSIUS ADVANCE TO AMCC WOMEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP

Top seeded Wells Collge defeated #4 Hilbert College 23-0, while #2 Mount Aloysius College earned the 12-8 win over #3 La Roche University to advance to the AMCC Women's Lacrosse Championship slated for next Saturday, May 4. 

The Express saw the trio of Lydia Thomas, Jade Epp, and Julia Barnwell each find the cage four times. Epp's four-goal performance raised her total to 47 on the year, good for third in the AMCC. Right ahead of Epp in the AMCC scoring race is Thomas, increasing her goal total to 50 on the season, whily also adding four assists in the match. Logan Lomonaco, the AMCC scoring leader, continued her standout rookie season by tallying a game-high eight goals. Lomonaco saw her goal total balloon up to 61 in a strong semifinal performance, as she also logged three assists and four ground balls.

Express goalkeepers Lauren Spiegel and Taelor Cid each played 30 mintues, with Speigel recording two saves and Cid with three. 

The Mounties saw an even contest throughout the game, reminiscent of the two earlier matchups this season between the programs. Both teams struggled with turnovers, going back and forth throughout the first ten minutes of the game, before the Redhawks would open scoring with a fifth minute score. Just a minute later, Katie Figinski would answer for the Mounties, closing the opening quarter with a tied game. 

Although the Mounties earned more shot attempts than their opponent in the first half, La Roche found a strong defensive presence in goal, saving nine first half shot attempts. Despite the low scoring first quarter, both teams would come alive in the second, with La Roche putting three in to the Mounties' two. Following a closing minutes goal by Brenna Dobson, Figinski would win the draw to earn a final second shot attempt, but a La Roche save would end the half 5-4 in the visitor's favor. 

The Mounties would come out of halftime with a vengeance, scoring two inside the first minute to take the lead. A free position shot would even the score, before Mount Aloysius would score the unassisted attempt again take the lead. La Roche would answer again, before Figinski would score a free position shot of her own to put the Mounties up 7-6 leading into the final 15 minutes of action. 

The fourth quarter would go the way of the hosts from the onset. The Mounties would score five in the closing quarter, including three free position shots, to put the game away. Despite La Roche scoring two late game free position shots of their own, the hosts had pulled too far away, with the Mounties punching their ticket for the AMCC final with the 12-8 victory. 

Wells and Mount Aloysius will square off in Aurora, NY on Saturday, May 4th at 11:00am. Wells enters the contest 2-0 against the Mounties this season.