April 25, 2008
Box Score
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - For the second time in as many years, the Marist women's lacrosse team will have a chance to play for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Red Foxes beat Canisius 15-10 in New Rochelle, N.Y. on the campus of Iona College in the first semifinal of the MAAC Tournament. Senior Liz Burkhard (Wantagh, N.Y.) was fantastic in goal, making 17 saves in the win.
Marist took the first draw control of the game and scored just eight seconds in. Stephanie Garland (Long Valley, N.J.) made a gorgeous pass to Ali Carnabuci (Albertson, N.Y.) who found the back of the net.
About four minutes later Canisius tied the game and the two teams traded goals for the next ten minutes. The Red Foxes went up 5-4 on Cristin Begley's second goal of the contest, and a little more than a minute later, Carnabuci found Lindsay Rinefierd (Smithtown, N.Y.) to give the Red Foxes a two goal cushion.
After the Griffs cut the score to 6-5, Marist scored two in a row to build an 8-5 lead with three and a half remaining in the first half. Lindsey Diener (Nanuet, N.Y.) and Kate Noftsker (Needham, Mass.) scored the two Marist goals.
Emily Maguire was able to find the back of the net on Burkhard to cut the Marist lead to two with 20 seconds left in the half.
Liz Falco (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) assisted Carnabuci's third goal of the game ten seconds into the second half to put Marist up three, and Falco then scored a fantastic unassisted tally for a 10-6 margin.
Canisius answered right back with two of their own. Ashley Gray scored the first in the mini-run and Erica Nasca scored the second.
Once again the two teams traded goals, and the Red Foxes lead held at two until there were 17 minutes left in regulation. Diener would make another gorgeous feed, this time to Kellie Considine (Wantagh, N.Y.), to put the Red Foxes up three, and Nicole Musto (Glastonbury, Conn.) assisted Carnabuci's fourth to make it 13-9.
Canisius scored one goal to make the score 13-10, but the Red Foxes scored the final two goals of the game. The first was a Marist senior-to-senior hookup as Jessica O'Brien (Wantagh, N.Y.) scored on another Diener's third helper. Carnabuci then assisted on Begley's third goal of the game for the 15-10 final.
Carnabuci led Marist with six points. The senior netted four goals and had two assists. Begley and Diener each had four points. Begley scored three goals and added an assist, and Diener had three assists and netted one goal.
Falco and Rinefierd each scored twice and assisted on one other.
Each team took 31 total shots, with Marist holding a 23-21 advantage in ground balls and a 15-11 advantage in ground balls. Both teams struggled with free position shots. The Red Foxes were 0-for-9 and Canisius was 0-for-4.
Ashley Gray, Emily McGuire, and Lauren Walsh all had three points to lead Canisius. The Griffs' goalkeeper was solid in goal making 11 saves.
Marist will take on the winner of the second semifinal featuring the top-seeded Fairfield Stags and fourth-seeded Iona Gaels on Sunday at noon.
