NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Having a bye in the first round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament, the women's lacrosse team welcomed Mount Ida College back to Howard Field for the semifinals on Friday.
Having last played the Mustangs earlier this week on Monday, the Cadets defeated Mount Ida 14-9. This afternoon, with postseason intensity and two teams who recently got a feel for what the other could deliver, Norwich came out of the gates ready to play and put the Mustangs away, 13-6.
As their last line of defense, senior Kellie Pickel made six saves on the afternoon. Juniors Kacey Abbriano and Suzanne Whitaker each tallied a hat trick, while Abbriano cleaned up seven ground balls.
Freshman Courtney Saheim and junior Mollie Fitzpatrick each put in a pair of goals, with Fitzpatrick earning an assist by setting up her sister, Grace Fitzpatrick on her solo goal of the day.
Freshman Ebony Mills was the difference maker for the Mustangs, netting four of their six goals, while senior Danielle Chuba tallied the other two, all unassisted. In net for Mount Ida, freshman Katherine Chousa made nine saves.
Norwich jumped out to a strong start early into play and held a 5-0 lead on the visitor's midway through the first half. However, three straight goals alternated by Mills and Chuba brought the game to a 5-3 score at halftime.
The two goal difference would be the closest gap the Mustangs would be able to pull within, although they were not without their efforts.
Abbriano opened the second half with her 36th goal of the season. Mills took advantage of a free position shot to keep the game within two-points, but M. Fitzpatrick answered back with a successful free position goal minutes later.
Mills and Chuba both scored one goal each during the remainder of regulation time, but the six Norwich players who tallied goals during the second half greatly outnumbered the visiting team's attempts.
The two teams were well matched, as the Mustangs were successful on 12 clear attempts and the Cadets were 13-for-17 on clears. Both teams were 50-percent on their free position attempts, but the Cadets doubled Mount Ida's shots, 30-15, and cleaned up on ground balls, 27-16.
Advancing to the Championship Round of the GNAC Tournament, the 9-2 Cadets will have home field advantage over their competition, the Lasers of Lasell College. The Championship game will be held on Sunday, May 1 at 1 p.m. on Howard Field.
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