DANBURY, Conn. – Top-seeded Western Connecticut State University used a 7-0 run in the second half to pull away from third-seeded Plymouth State University in the championship game of the Little East Conference (LEC) Women's Lacrosse Tournament at the Westside Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon.
 
Plymouth State was looking to capture a fourth-straight LEC Tournament title, but the Colonials, behind five goals from tournament Most Outstanding Player Dominique DeMarsico, had other plans.
 
PSU attempted to set an early tone, scoring the game's first goal, but WestConn quickly pulled even, then pulled in front. The Panthers tied the score midway through the first half, but the hosts used a 3-0 spurt to take a 5-2 lead into halftime. The two teams traded goals in the opening two minutes of the second half, but the hosts pulled away behind the game-deciding run.
 
PSU was making its seventh-straight title game, tied for the longest such streak in conference history with Eastern Connecticut State University (2005-11). Plymouth State also made six-straight finals appearances from 2002-07.
 
Plymouth State ends the year with a 7-3 mark. WestConn (9-0) captures its first-ever tournament championship and will learn its opponent in the NCAA Tournament during Monday's selection show.
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 3, Western Conn. St. 13
  • Plymouth State (7-3)
  • Western Conn. St. (9-0)

How it Happened:

• Sophomore Emily Santom (Litchfield, N.H.) put the Panthers on the board first just over five minutes into the game.
• DeMarsico answered just over a minute later and the score remained deadlocked at one for the next ten minutes.
• DeMarsico gave the hosts a lead at the midpoint of the half, but senior Elizabeth McLaughlin (Melvin Village, N.H.) evened the game with a free position goal with 13 minutes left in the half.
• DeMarsico picked up her third of the game as WestConn went back in front and the hosts scored twice in a 27-second span to take a 5-2 lead into halftime.
• The Colonials pushed the advantage to 6-2 before McLaughlin converted a feed from sophomore Olivia Croke (Norwell, Mass.) to make it a 6-3 game just two minutes into the second half, but that would be the last goal of the day for the Panthers.

By the Numbers:

• WestConn fired 31 shots to PSU's 16.
• Plymouth State converted 13-of-14 clear attempts, while the Colonials were 21-of-25.
• Western Connecticut held a slight 17-14 edge in ground balls and 10-8 advantage in draw controls.
• Plymouth State earned nine free position attempts, but the WestConn goalie denied the Panthers in all but one try.
• McLaughlin finished with two goals to end the season with a team-high 26.
• Santom scored PSU's other goal and ended the year with 25 tallies in just seven games.
• McLaughlin added team-highs of five ground balls and four draw controls.
• Senior Faye Brown (Londonderry, N.H.) chipped in with four ground balls and four caused turnovers.
• Senior Meaghan Allard (Amherst, N.H.) made eight saves and added a caused turnover.

Up Next:

• The game marked the end of the season for the Panthers and the final contest for McLaughlin, Brown, Allard, Sarah Jackes (Londonderry, N.H.) and Sydney Dubois (Goffstown, N.H.).