2023 Women's Lacrosse NCAA Tournament Regionals Preview

5/19/2023 11:00:00 AM

The Rundown

The fourth-ranked Salisbury University women's lacrosse team advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament with a convincing 20-3 victory over Meredith College in the second round on May 14. The Sea Gulls will be on the road for the third round and quarterfinals, which will be hosted by second-ranked Washington & Lee at Alston Parker Watt Field in Lexington, Va. Salisbury is scheduled to face No. 10 York (Pa.) on Saturday at 4 p.m.

How We Got Here

Salisbury finished the regular season with a 12-3 overall record and a perfect 2-0 mark in C2C play. The Sea Gulls took on one of the toughest schedules in the country and came away with six ranked wins, including five top-10 wins. The team's last loss came in heartbreaking fashion to then-No. 4 Tufts in overtime on March 22. Since then, Salisbury has won nine games in a row, including the final seven of the regular season to earn the top seed in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) Tournament. The Sea Gulls defeated Warren Wilson in the semifinal round of the tournament, 22-0, and Christopher Newport, 14-8, in the championship game for the team's third consecutive C2C title and 21st conference championship overall. After earning a bye for the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Salisbury defeated Meredith, 20-3, in the second round to advance to NCAA Regional Tournament in Lexington, Va.

LIVE VIDEO

LIVE STATS

TICKET INFORMATION

2023 NCAA DIVISION III WOMEN'S LACROSSE TOURNAMENT BRACKET

NCAA PROGRAM

ALSTON PARKER WATT FIELD

Major C2C Awards

Natalie Held - C2C Defensive Player of the Year

Jim Nestor - Coaching Staff of the Year

2023 All-C2C Women's Lacrosse Team

USA Lacrosse All-Americans

#11 Riley Hartman | #25 Natalie Held | #6 Emma Skoglund | #44 Kaitlyn Hunsinger | #9 Leah Vilov

IWLCA All-Region

#6 Emma Skoglund | #25 Natalie Held | #44 Kaitlyn Hunsinger | #32 Madeline Davis | #11 Riley Hartman

Salisbury Players to Watch

#6 Emma Skoglund | Gr. | A

#11 Riley Hartman | Sr. | M

#44 Kaitlyn Hunsinger | Sr. | GK

ATTACK
MIDFIELD
DEFENSE

Emma Skoglund - Skoglund led the offense all season as she tallied a team-high 59 points. She led the team in goals (39) and finished second on the team in assists (20).
Mary Hanzsche - Hanzsche has been a key facilitator on offense all season. She leads the team in assists with 33 and has also chipped in nine goals.
Erin Scannell - Scannell has scored 27 goals this season with three assists, including an impressive four-goal game in the C2C Championship.
Miranda Mears - Mears has made an immediate impact as a freshman. She has started every game for the Sea Gulls and tallied 19 points on 17 goals and two assists.

Riley Hartman - Hartman has been a key contributor to the Sea Gull offense and in controlling the draw from the midfield position. She is third on the team in points (34), third in goals (26) and third in draw controls (33).
Leah Vilov - Vilov has been a dual threat all season long out of the midfield position. Offensively, Vilov has scored 25 goals this season. On the defensive side she has caused 24 turnovers and collected 28 ground balls. She earned C2C Tournament MVP after she totaled a career-high six caused turnovers in the C2C Championship and also chipped in a goal on the offensive side.
Caroline Knight - Knight has added depth to the offense this season. She has scored in 23 goals and tallied an assist throughout the season, including a dominant five-goal game against Denison on March 25.
Meridith Price - Price has totaled 19 points on 16 goals and three assists. She has also added seven caused turnovers on the defensive end and has collected 32 draw controls this season.

Natalie Held - The 2023 C2C Defensive Player of the Year has been a force to be reckon with defensively for the Sea Gulls all season long. She leads the team in caused turnovers with 27 and has collected 24 ground balls. She also leads the team in draw controls with 57 on the season.
Madeline Davis - Davis bolsters the backline alongside Held. She is right behind her with 20 caused turnovers and 24 ground balls on the season.
Delaney Piechowiak - Piechowiak has had a breakout year in her junior campaign. She has totaled 18 caused turnovers with 25 ground balls.
Kaitlyn Hunsinger - Hunsinger also enjoyed a breakout year in her senior season in the cage. The goalkeeper has logged over 830 minutes in goal and tallied 113 saves for a 51.6 save percentage and a 7.57 goals against average.

17-3 (8-0, MACC) in 2023
Middle Atlantic Conference - Commonwealth Champions
10th NCAA Tournament Appearance
Lost at home to Salisbury 11-5 on April 8 (last loss of the season)
Head Coach: Jen Mustin (16th season)
- MACC Coach of the Year
Offensive Player to Watch: #16 Kiersten Blanchard
- 2023 Stats: 70 points, 45 goals, 25 assists, 106 draw controls, 16 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers
- 2023 All-MACC First Team
Defensive Player to Watch: #34 Sydney Mentzer
- 2023 Stats: 27 caused turnovers, 39 ground balls, 51 draw controls, 40 goals, 2 assists
- 2023 MACC Rookie of the Year
Goalkeeper: #13 Bella Garabo
- 2023 Stats: 16-3 record, 117 saves, 55.7 save-percentage, 6.32 goals-against average
- 2023 MACC Goalkeeper of the Year

19-1 (8-0, ODAC) in 2023
Old Dominion Athletic Conference Champions
22nd NCAA Tournament Appearance
Defeated Salisbury, 6-5, at home on Feb. 25
Head Coach: Maddie Coleman (1st season)
- ODAC Coach of the Year
Offensive Player to Watch: #3 Allie Schwab
- 2023 Stats: 63 points, 36 goals, 27 assists
- 2023 ODAC Offensive Player of the Year
Defensive Player to Watch: #15 Eugenie Rovegno
- 2023 Stats: 36 caused turnovers, 51 ground balls, 85 draw controls
- 2023 ODAC Defensive Player of the Year
Goalkeeper: #73 Caroline Kranich
- 2023 Stats: 18-1 record, 101 saves, 49.3 save percentage, 6.67 goals-against average
- 2023 All-ODAC First Team

16-4 (9-0, Centennial) in 2023
Representatives of the Centennial Conference
21st NCAA Tournament Appearance
Lost at home to Salisbury, 10-8, on March 11
Head Coach: Charlotte Cunningham (1st season)
Offensive Player to Watch: #1 Jordan Basso
- 2023 Stats: 102 points, 66 goals, 36 assists, 21 ground balls, 13 caused turnovers
- 2023 Centennial Attacker of the Year
Defensive Player to Watch: #21 Lily Macatee
- 2023 Stats: 21 caused turnovers, 29 ground balls, 110 draw controls
- 2023 Centennial Defensive Player of the Year
Goalkeeper: #40 Gillian Cortese
- 2023 Stats: 15-4 record, 100 saves, 47.2 save-percentage, 7.79 goals-against average

Salisbury NCAA Tournament History

The 2023 Salisbury women's lacrosse team is playing in its 20th consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament and 24th overall. Counting Sunday's win over Meredith, the Sea Gulls have racked up a 54-18 overall record in the NCAA Tournament since the program first qualified for the tournament in 1999. Salisbury has reached 13 NCAA semifinals and nine NCAA finals and has come away with four national championships (2010, ‘13, ‘14, '21).