Box Score

CLINTON, NY -- Libby Schultz, Katie D'Antonio and Rachel Friedman scored four goals each to lead #2 Hamilton College to a 17-8 victory over Union College in the 2011 Liberty League Women's Lacrosse Championship Game Saturday.

With the win, the Continentals receive the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships and improve to 17-1. Union finished the season with a record of 10-8.

Sarah Bray had five points including four assists for Hamilton, which outshot Union, 25-17. The hosts had a 15-14 ground ball advantage and were a perfect 15 for 15 on clear attempts while Union was eight for 10 in that category. Dewi Casell stopped six Union shots for Hamilton.

Senior attack Kristin Joyce led the Dutchwomen with four goals and senior midfielder Melissa Hine had a goal and two assists. Alexis Deeb made four saves in the Union net.

The game marked the end of three of the greatest players in Union College career point annals. Joyce ended her career with 252 goals and 299 points and finished as the all-time leader in career goals and career points. Senior attack Chelsea Charette finished ranked fourth in career points with 208, one of only five players in Union history with 200 or more points. Hine wrapped up her career with 171 points to rank seventh in Union history, and her 115 assists are the all-time best for a Dutchwoman.

Hamilton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 2:08 before Union got on the board by Joyce at 24:48. The Continentals scored the next three and it was 6-1 Hamilton with 16:35 left in the first half. But Union came back and pulled to within one with goals by Joyce (twice and Kat Egizi. Egizi's score set up from Hine with 4:51 made it a 5-4 game. But after two goals by Hamilton and a Joyce score, Schulz scored with just five seconds left in the half for an 8-5 Hamilton lead.

The second ranked team in the nation scored the first three of the second half for an 11-5 advantage. Heather Farser tallied at 18:26 but then Hamilton scored four more for a 15-6 lead with just 8:28 to play. Both teams scored twice each in the final 8:01, and Charette wrapped up the scoring with her 37th of her season. Joyce finished the season with 61 goals and Hine had 35 assists, each team bests.

This is the 10th straight season that Union posted 10 or more victories in a season. This was Union's eighth straight championship game appearance. Joyce, Hine and Kat Egizi were named to the All-Tournament Team.