GENEVA, N.Y. – Plymouth State University attempted a late rally with a 6-1 charge and senior
Elle Moshier (Stratford, Conn.) scored three times, but #19 MIT got past the Panthers, 18-10, in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship at Boswell Field at David Urick Stadium on the campus of William Smith College on Saturday afternoon.
The Engineers (17-4) advance to face #9 William Smith in a second round game on Sunday (May 12), while the Panthers' season comes to a close with a 13-7 record.
MIT scored twice in the opening four minutes, but Moshier answered back just over a minute later. The Engineers used a 9-2 run to close the half, carrying an 11-3 advantage into the break.
MIT extended the lead to 16-4 late in the third quarter before Plymouth State rallied. Senior
Tarryn O'Brien (Weymouth, Mass.) jumpstarted the comeback bid in the final minute of the third and Plymouth State outscored the high-powered Engineers 5-1 through the fourth quarter before an MIT goal with just one second remaining accounted for the final score.
Plymouth State was making its second straight appearance, and tenth overall, in the tournament after capturing the Little East Conference (LEC) Tournament title last weekend. The Panthers had won nine straight games in a dominant, late-season run during which the team outscored opponents by a 164-55 stretch.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 10, #19 MIT 18
- Plymouth State (13-7)
- #19 MIT (17-4)
How it Happened:
- MIT scored twice in the first four minutes before Moshier buried her first of the afternoon.
- The Engineers responded with a 3-0 spurt to take a 5-1 lead after one.
- The teams traded markers to kick off the second, with junior Maddie Hunt (Littleton, Mass.) making good during a woman-up opportunity.
- MIT followed with three straight before junior Jenna Stowell (Londonderry, N.H.) snapped the streak with her first of the game during another woman-up chance to make it 9-3 with five minutes before halftime.
- The Engineers scored twice in the final 90-plus seconds for an 11-3 advantage at the break.
- MIT went on a 5-1 run in the third quarter, with Moshier finding the back of the cage for her second of the day, to go ahead 16-4 with three minutes left in the frame.
- O'Brien started the late surge with the Panthers' third woman-up goal of the day with 30 seconds to go in the period.
- Sophomore Morgan Cunningham (Wrentham, Mass.) converted a feed from O'Brien early in the fourth as the Panthers attempted to rally. Junior Julia Donovan (Antrim, N.H.) followed with her first of the game less than two minutes later.
- After an MIT score briefly slowed the momentum, Plymouth State went on a 3-0 run. Hunt delivered her 54th goal of the year with just over five minutes remaining and Moshier and Stowell added woman-up goals to pull within 17-10, before an MIT tally with one second remaining accounted for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Moshier scored her third straight hat trick. She poured in 13 goals over the last five games.
- Stowell finished with two goals and an assist and added five ground balls, two caused turnovers and eight draw controls to her stat line.
- Hunt (two goals), O'Brien (one goal, one assist) and Cunningham (one goal, one assist) also had multi-point games for the Panthers.
- Senior Amelia Thomas (Hopkinton, N.H.) matched a team-high with five ground balls and led all players with three caused turnovers.
- Junior Margie Black (Longmeadow, Mass.) made seven saves and chipped in five ground balls.
- MIT owned a slight advantage in shots, 30-27, though Plymouth State outshot the Engineers by a 12-2 margin in the fourth quarter.
- PSU finished 16-for-25 in clear chances, while MIT was 17-for-21.
- Plymouth State held a 23-21 advantage in ground balls, while draw controls were in favor of the Engineers by a 17-13 margin.
- PSU went 2-for-4 in free position attempts and scored a season-high five woman-up goals.
- Plymouth State is now 4-4 in head-to-head matchups with the Engineers. The teams last met in 2018, when PSU came away with a 17-11 win on the road.
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