NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The #2N-seeded Norwich University women's lacrosse team (15-2, 10-1 GNAC, 6-1 North Division) will head to Providence, R.I., to take on #1S-seeded JWU (Providence) (12-4, 9-2 GNAC, 7-0 South Division) for a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament Semifinal game on Wednesday, Apr. 30, at 5:00 p.m. at Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex.
The Cadets make their eighth GNAC Semifinal appearance in program history and first since 2014 as they continue their pursuit of the program's first GNAC Championship and NCAA Tournament berth since 2012. Under fourth-year Head Coach
Ian Thomas, Norwich aims to avenge last season's GNAC Quarterfinal setback to the Wildcats. JWU (Providence), led by second-year Head Coach Olivia Duarte, seeks its third consecutive GNAC title and sixth overall before transitioning to the Conference of New England this summer.
BY THE NUMBERS:
Norwich:
- The Cadets advanced with an emphatic 18-6 win over #3S Dean College in Saturday's Quarterfinals. Nine different players scored, highlighted by a four-goal effort from Julia Gutke (Stockholm, Sweden), while Sophie Zemianek (St. Albans, Vt.) and Breanna Ricker (Laconia, N.H.) each logged hat tricks. After a 2-2 start, Zemianek's late first-quarter strike sparked a lead Norwich would not surrender. The Cadets closed the game on a 7-1 run, outshooting Dean 40-24, winning the ground ball battle 22-14, and successfully converting 22-of-24 clears.
- Norwich continues to boast one of Division III's most disruptive defenses, leading the nation in caused turnovers (341) at an average of 20.06 per game. The Cadets have forced 20 or more turnovers in 10 contests this season, including 29 against Anna Maria and 20 in the GNAC Quarterfinal win over Dean. Celine Juneau (Chazy, N.Y.) and Lindsey Parker (Wells, Maine) headline the defense with 43 and 40 caused turnovers, respectively, both ranking among the top 50 nationally. Norwich also ranks third in the GNAC with 406 ground balls.
JWU (Providence):
- The Wildcats earned a hard-fought 9-8 victory over #4N Colby-Sawyer College in their GNAC Quarterfinal match-up. Madeleine Gould led the way with five goals, while Neely Connor added two, and Mila Kuilan and Isabella Nugent chipped in one apiece. After falling behind 4-3 in the second quarter, JWU rallied with a series of crucial goals and held off a late Colby-Sawyer surge. JWU has won six of its last seven games, with its only recent loss a narrow 9-8 setback at Saint Joseph's (Maine) in the regular season finale.
- The Wildcats have been dominant in the draw circle, leading the GNAC with 246 total draw controls (15.38 per game). Isabella Nugent (87), Madeleine Gould (78), and Neely Connor (50) drive the success at the X. JWU has reached 22 draw controls twice this season and had its first single-digit draw performance against Colby-Sawyer (nine wins, 12 losses).
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Norwich:
- The Cadets' offense is paced by Vermont natives Ellie Moriarty (Stowe, Vt.) and Caitlyn Fielder (East Calais, Vt.). Moriarty ranks second in the GNAC with 38 assists (top 50 nationally) and recently broke the program's all-time assists record, now sitting at 95. She enters Wednesday with 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists). Fielder continues her standout campaign with 47 goals, 13 assists, 39 ground balls, 30 caused turnovers, and 85 draw controls.
- Norwich boasts remarkable depth with 11 players posting 10 or more points. Vivian Buntin (Middlebury, Conn.), Athena Merck (West Yarmouth, Mass.), and Quinn Mustone (Medford, Mass.) each eclipse the 30-point mark, providing consistent scoring threats. Buntin has 44 points (24 goals, 20 assists), Merck owns 32 goals and 12 assists, while Mustone contributes 28 goals, six assists, 32 caused turnovers, and 36 draw controls.
JWU (Providence):
- Madeleine Gould ranks among the GNAC's elite with 66 goals and a conference-best 93 points. The 2024 GNAC First Team selection has scored in 15 of 16 games and logged 12 multi-goal performances, including a pair of seven-goal outings. She has also excelled at the draw with eight-control performances against Saint Joseph (Conn.) and Salve Regina.
- Mila Kuilan and Neely Connor provide additional scoring depth with 56 and 51 points, respectively. Connor is a dynamic two-way player with 34 goals, 17 assists, 80 ground balls, 32 caused turnovers, and 50 draw controls, while Kuilan has chipped in 48 goals and 23 ground balls.
BATTLE BETWEEN THE BARS:
- Bailey Manning-Ingala (West Hartford, Conn.) continues make history for Norwich. She holds an 8.12 goals-against average and a 51.2% save percentage through 768 minutes. Manning-Ingala's 11-2 record is the second-most wins in a single season in program history. She has posted double-digit saves three times and kept opponents under 10 goals in nine contests. Her career numbers in saves (143), save percentage (50.4%), and goals-against average (8.95) all rank in the top 10 in Norwich history.
- JWU's Emma Glyman, the two-time GNAC Goalkeeper of the Year and 2023 GNAC Tournament MVP, has again anchored the Wildcats' defense. Glyman leads the program in nearly every career statistical category, and this season owns a 6.88 goals-against average and a .538 save percentage over 960 minutes. She has posted double-digit saves in eight games and kept opponents under 10 goals 11 times.
LAST TIME OUT:
- Norwich and JWU did not meet this regular season, but last squared off in the 2024 GNAC Quarterfinals, where JWU earned a 14-4 victory in Providence. Despite a strong early start that saw Caitlyn Fielder tally two goals within the opening 19 minutes to keep Norwich within one, 3-2, the Wildcat offense exploded for six-straight goals to take control of the contest. Fielder was Norwich's leading scorer with three goals, while Leocadia Clark (Stowe, Vt.) added a fourth-quarter tally.
- JWU (Providence) saw seven different players record points, spearheaded by four points from Madeleine Gould behind a two-goal, two-assist split. Gould also added four ground balls and three draw controls. Katie Sloan, Maris DiBeneditto, and Neely Connor all tallied three points apiece, as DiBeneditto and Connor tallied three goals each. Emma Glyman played all 60 minutes in goal, making seven saves.
TALES FROM THE TURF:
- JWU continues its strong run after a 15-5 record and GNAC title in 2024, entering the GNAC Semifinals at 12-4 overall and 9-2 in the GNAC. Following an Apr. 2 loss to Emmanuel, the Wildcats rattled off five straight conference victories before their narrow one-goal games against Saint Joseph's (Maine) and Colby-Sawyer.
- Norwich, meanwhile, has authored one of the finest seasons in program history. With 15 wins, the Cadets have eclipsed the 2012 team's mark for most wins in a season, after posting the second-longest win streak in program history earlier this season at 12 games. Norwich has limited 13 opponents to single-digit goals and allowed 10 or fewer goals in 13 of 17 contests overall. Their two losses, to Keene State College and Emmanuel College, also marked their highest goals allowed (16 and 15, respectively).
- This will be the 11th meeting between Norwich and JWU, and the third postseason match-up. JWU owns a 9-1 series advantage, including two GNAC Quarterfinal victories in 2019 (25-5) and 2024 (14-4). Norwich's lone win came in the teams' first-ever meeting on Apr. 19, 2014, in an 18-4 triumph.
GNAC TOURNAMENT BRACKET (Hosted by higher seeds):
- Thursday, Apr. 24 - PLAY-IN
- #4N Colby-Sawyer def. #5N Simmons, 18-3
- #4S Regis (Mass.) def. #5S University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), 16-6
- Saturday, Apr. 26 - QUARTERFINALS
- #1S JWU (Providence) def. #4N Colby-Sawyer, 9-8
- #1N Emmanuel def. #4S Regis (Mass.), 13-7
- #3N Saint Joseph's (Maine) def. #2S Lasell, 17-5
- #2N Norwich def. #3S Dean, 18-6
- Wednesday, Apr. 30 - SEMIFINALS
- #3N Saint Joseph's (Maine) at #1N Emmanuel, 7:00 p.m.
- #2N Norwich at #1 JWU (Providence), 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday, May 3 - CHAMPIONSHIP
The winner of Saturday's tilt will advance to face either #3N Saint Joseph's (Maine) or #1N Emmanuel in the GNAC Championship on Saturday, May 3, in a contest hosted by the higher seed.
