EWING, NJ -- Senior Karen Doane scored with 3.4 seconds left on a free-position shot to send #2 The College of New Jersey to the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Semifinals as the Lions edged #8 Union College 9-8 on Sunday at TCNJ's Soccer Complex.

 

Doane drew a foul inside the eight-meter arc and then cashed in on the opportunity putting the Lions (17-1) in the national semifinals on Saturday, May 17 at 2:30 p.m. against defending NCAA champion Franklin & Marshall. The Diplomats advanced with a 16-9 win over Amherst College. This marks the 23^rd time in the 24 years of the tournament the Lions have advanced to the semifinals.

 

Union capped its successful campaign with a record 15-4, with those wins matching the most in program history.

 

Leading up to Doane's heroics, TCNJ held a 6-3 lead early in the second half before the Dutchwomen got on an offensive roll. Union reeled off four straight goals with Chelsea Charlette (South Hadley, MA) scoring twice, with Keri Messa (Saratoga Springs, NY) and Kristin Joyce (Longmeadow, MA) netting the others. That run put the visitors in front 7-6. Joyce's goal with 15:20 remaining gave the Dutchwomen the lead. Catching a pass from Messa outside the left post, Joyce turned and shook the defender and scored high for her second of the day and 55th of her rookie campaign.

 

The Lions battled back to reclaim the lead as Toni-Anne Cavallo and Rachel Gordon each scored off of free-position attempts. Those goals put TCNJ in front 8-7 with 10:59 remaining.

 

TCNJ then won the draw control and ate up a huge chunk of the clock before the Dutchwomen gained possession on a big caused turnover by Melissa Hine (South Hadley, MA).. Once on TCNJ's half of the field, the Dutchwomen knotted the score on a goal by Allie Couzzo (Norfolk, MA) with 2:59 left on the clock. It was Cuozzo's second of the day and #28 for the year.

 

In the first half neither team led by more than a goal and seven different players scored with Cavallo putting the hosts in front 4-3 at the half scoring with 2:24 remaining before the break.

 

Doane, Cavallo and Katie Reuther each scored twice for the Lions as they scored eight of their nine goals on free-position attempts.

 

Charette led the Dutchwomen with three goals and Joyce and Cuozzo each had a pair.

 

Lion senior Caitlin Gregory earned her career-best 17^th win of the season making six saves. For Union, freshman Cat Ruggiero (Huntington, NJ) also made six stops.

 

New Jersey had a 24-19 shot advantage, and a 15-14 edge in shots on the net. Ruggiero had three of Union's seven ground balls and Gregory had four of the Lions' 12 grounders.