Box Score
CLINTON, NY -- Anne Graveley scored three goals to lead nationally ranked No. 1 Hamilton College to a 9-5 win against No. 11 Union College, and to the 2010 Liberty League women's lacrosse regular season title at Hamilton's Steuben Field on May 1.
The Continentals will host the four-team league tournament on Friday and Saturday, May 7 and 8. Hamilton takes on Rensselaer in one semifinal and the Dutchwomen play St. Lawrence University in the other on Friday. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday. Times for the three games have not been announced.
Kristin Joyce scored two goals for Union and lifted her season total to 68. Melissa Hine had four assists and leads the Dutchwomen with 50. Cat Ruggiero, who leads the NCAA in save percentage, made eight saves and picked up four ground balls. Maria Prendergast won a game-high three draw controls.
Rachel Friedman and Libby Schultz chipped in two goals apiece for the Continentals, and both Hilary Saverin and Hannah Hoar added one goal and one assist. Sarah Bray was credited with three assists and leads the team with 38. Kate Fowler made four saves and Liz Rave picked up a game-high five ground balls.
Hamilton (16-0 overall, 8-0 Liberty) completed its first undefeated regular season in program history and extended its home unbeaten streak to 34 games. The Continentals have won three league regular season titles in the last four years. Hamilton leads the all-time series with Union, 25-13.
Union (10-6, 7-1) led once at 1-0 on Joyce's first goal with 24:27 left in the first half. Graveley put Hamilton in front with two goals -- the second one with 17:14 remaining. Joyce tied the score with 14:17 left, but Friedman made the score 3-2 with 12:20 remaining. The score remained 3-2 for the rest of the half. Ruggiero made six stops in the first 30 minutes.
Friedman gave the Continentals a two-goal cushion with her 28th goal just 50 seconds into the second half. The Dutchwomen roared back with goals by Jill LaForest and Abby Stohler, the second of which tied the score at 4-4 with 19:45 left.
The tie didn't last long. Hoar converted a free-position shot for her 12th goal just 21 seconds later, and that started a 4-0 mini-run that clinched the victory for Hamilton. Schultz scored twice during the spurt and Graveley finished it with her 31st goal with 2:11 remaining. After one last Union goal, Saverin put an exclamation mark on the win as she scored her 13th goal with seven seconds left on Bray's third assist.
The Continentals held a 19-10 advantage in shots and picked up 19 ground balls to 15 for the Dutchwomen. Union had 19 turnovers to Hamilton's 12. The Dutchwomen were successful on 12 of 19 clear attempts and the Continentals were 13 of 14 on clears. Union's previous five losses were all by one goal.
