April 27, 2007
Final Stats
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- The Marist women's lacrosse team has advanced to its second MAAC Tournament final in school history. Behind four goals apiece from freshman midfielder Liz Falco (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) and junior attack Ali Carnabuci (Albertson, N.Y.), the third-seeded Red Foxes earned a 13-8 win over Fairfield at Mazzella Field on the campus of Iona College. Marist will face top-seeded Le Moyne in the final on Sunday at noon.
The last time the Red Foxes reached a MAAC final was in 2003, when Marist also faced Le Moyne. Marist suffered a 9-7 loss in that game. Le Moyne, the tournament's top seed, reached the final with a 14-9 win over fourth-seeded Manhattan on Friday. The win improved the Red Foxes' record to 10-5, giving them their first 10-win season in program history. Le Moyne (14-4) has not lost a game to a MAAC opponent in the last two seasons, going 17-0 against league foes, a total which includes tournament play.
By adding two assists, Carnabuci finished with a game-high six points. It was her third six-point game of the season, tying a career high. All four of her goals came in the second half.
Sophomore midfielder Carolyn Sumcizk (Syosset, N.Y.) added five points, on two goals and three assists. Freshman midfielder Lindsay Rinefierd (Smithtown, N.Y.) scored a pair of goals, both in the second half. Sophomore attack Kate Noftsker (Needham, Mass.) added a goal, while junior midfielder Lindsey Diener (Nanuet, N.Y.) and sophomore midfielder Cristin Begley (Brookville, Md.) added one assist apiece.
Junior goalkeeper Liz Burkhard (Wantagh, N.Y.) stopped 15 shots, including nine in the first half. The 15 saves marked Burkhard's second-highest total of the season. Senior defender Joanna Maehr (Stony Brook, N.Y.) led the Red Foxes with five draw controls.
Falco got the Red Foxes on the scoreboard 2:39 into the contest, with an assist from Carnabuci. After that, Marist held the lead for the remainder of the contest. Marist took a 5-3 halftime lead on the strength of three goals by Falco and two from Sumcizk.
Marist still held a two-goal lead until Rinefierd scooped up a ground ball, took off toward the goal unimpeded and scored to put the Red Foxes up 9-6 with 10:49 remaining. Fairfield never cut the margin under three goals the rest of the game, as Carnabuci followed by scoring three in a span of 3:57 to help the Red Foxes put the game away.
Marist and Le Moyne met in the regular season on April 20, with the Dolphins earning a 17-16 home victory.
