NEW ROCHELLE, New York – In the final match of the 2016 regular season, the Red Foxes defeated the VMI Keydets 15-5. With the win, Marist finishes the season at 15-17 (9-3 MAAC) while VMI drops to 8-19 (3-9 MAAC). With their 9-3 conference record, the Red Foxes have clinched the #2 seed in the MAAC Championship which will be held on April 30th and May 1st in Poughkeepsie. Marist will play the #3 Iona College Gaels in the semifinals on April 30.
Katie Tijerina led the Red Foxes with three goals, two assists, four steals and one field block. Jocelyn McQuade totaled three goals, one assist, two steals and one field block, Amanda Amorosa chipped in two goals, two assists, seven steals, and one field block, Ellie Hoffman finished with two goals, one assist and one field block and Susan Cantoni totaled two goals, two steals and one field block. Nastassia McGlothlin chipped in one goal, two assists and one drawn ejection, Diana Carballo finished with one goal, one assist and three steals and Grace Doerfler totaled one goal, one steal and three drawn ejections.
Skyler Henry and Jessica Hermosillo shared the duties in goal. Henry finished with four goals against, eight saves, and one assist. Hermosilli totaled one goal against and two saves.
Looking to end the regular season strong and clinch a spot in the MAAC Championship, the Red Foxes came out in the opening period and scored three times off goals by Doerfler, Cantoni and McGlothlin. The Keydets answered with one of their own and after the first quarter it was 3-1 in favor of Marist.
The second period saw the Red Foxes find the back of the net four times by Tijerina, McQuade, Cantoni and Carballo. Marist's defense held VMI to only one goal again and at the end of the first half it was 7-2 Red Foxes.
To open the second half, Marist scored three times by Tijerina on the counter and McQuade (2). Building off the pattern of the first two quarters, the Red Fox defense allowed only one Keydet goal and with only eight minutes remaining in the regular season, Marist led 10-3.
With an eye on ending the season on a strong note, the Red Foxes found their offensive momentum and scored five times in the final frame. Tijerina, Amorosa (2) and Hoffman (2) found the back of the net. VMI scored twice and at the final buzzer Marist ended the season with the 15-5 win.
Coming up, the second seed Red Foxes will square off against the third seed Iona College Gaels in the semi-finals of the MAAC Championship on Saturday, April 30th at McCann Natatorium in Poughkeepsie. In two regular season matchups, Marist defeated Iona 10-9 on March 26th and 10-7 on April 10th.
