NCAA WLAX Final Four, Championship Preview Banner

2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Semifinal, Championship Preview

WLAX Team Huddle vs. W&L, 5-19-24

The Rundown

The fifth-ranked Salisbury University women's lacrosse team stares down two more hurdles between the program and its fifth National Championship this weekend, beginning with a national semifinal bout against ninth-ranked William Smith on Friday, May 24 at 3 p.m. inside Donald J. Kerr Stadium on the campus of Roanoke College. The winner of that game advances to Sunday's National Championship, facing the victor in Friday's first contest between top-ranked Middlebury and third-ranked Franklin & Marshall on Sunday at noon.

How We Got Here 

Salisbury enters its 14th-ever Final Four weekend with a 17-3 overall record including wins in both Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) matchups against Christopher Newport and Mary Washington during the regular season. The Sea Gulls defeated seven ranked teams in the regular season, including triumphs over No. 4 Gettysburg and No. 7 F&M. Salisbury has won 61 consecutive games against conference opponents, a streak that dates back to then-Capital Athletic Conference foe York (Pa.) on April 12, 2017. The Sea Gulls shook off CNU in the C2C title game, nabbing their fourth consecutive league title.

Grace Doyle & Elizabeth Hesen vs. W&L, 5-19-24

Gulls Play in May

After snatching the spotlight with a season-high 23 goals in the NCAA Second Round against Cabrini, the Sea Gulls kept the postseason run alive with wins against No. 15 Babson (15-10) and No. 7 Washington & Lee (12-8). Caroline Knight's playoff torch helped lift the Sea Gull attack as she fired in eight goals across the two tournament victories to keep her team dancing. On the defensive end, Natalie Held earned IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week honors after totaling eight draw controls, four ground balls, and three caused turnovers in the two wins.

Friday: Live Video/Stats
Sunday: Live Video/Stats
Championship Pass Tickets (All Games)
Semifinal Tickets
Directions to Kerr Stadium

USA Lacrosse Magazine All-Americans

Natalie Held USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American
Kaitlyn Hunsinger USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American

All-Conference Honorees

Players to Watch

Mary Hanzsche vs. W&L, 5-19-24
Mary Hanzsche | Sr. | A
Caroline Knight vs. W&L, 5-19-24
Caroline Knight | Sr. | M
Natalie Held vs. W&L, 5-19-24
Natalie Held | Jr. | D
  • Camryn Pepper - The North Caroline High School product leads the team in both assists (40) and points (70) while scoring 30 goals to take fourth on the team in the process. Her 12 assists in the Big Dance lead all Division III student-athletes.
  • Mary Hanzsche - The Berwyn, Pa. native has starred for the Sea Gulls, closely trailing Pepper in assists (37) and points (66) while ranking fourth nationally with eight assists in the 2024 NCAA Division III Tournament.
  • Erin Scannell  - Salisbury's veteran, do-it-all attacker slots third on the team in goals (35) and fourth in draw controls (29) while distributing 11 assists. Scannell's 31st goal of the season scored in the team's NCAA second-round win, moved her into second in program history in career goals (now 177). She also eclipsed 200 career points in this year's tournament.
  • Miranda Mears - One of two Parkside products featured among the 2024 Sea Gulls, Mears has provided an offensive punch off the Salisbury sideline, following only her high school counterpart in Leah Vilov in goals (36) on this year's squad.
  • Leah Vilov - The pride of Parkside continues to headline the Sea Gull offense, providing a team and career-high 49 goals so far in 2024. She ranks fourth in the C2C in scoring while scooping 25 ground balls and causing 18 turnovers.
  • Caroline Knight - After a slow start in the regular season, Knight has caught fire in the postseason, logging 13 goals in the month of May after tallying 11 across the regular season. Knight took over in last Sunday's win over W&L, matching her career-high with five goals.
  • Meridith Price - The Street, Md. native is a versatile weapon in the SU midfield, logging 25 points on 13 goals and 12 assists while ranking second on the team with 53 draw controls and tacking on 21 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers.
  • Grace Doyle - The York, Pa. product has sent 16 balls to the back of the cage while ranking fifth on the team in draw controls (27).
  • Julianna Ott - The Woodbine, Md. product is Salisbury's model of efficiency, leading all Sea Gulls with 20 or more shots in shot percentage (.565) and putting 20 of her 23 shots on goal this season (.870). Ott was essential in last Sunday's win over W&L, moving to take the draw in the second half and finishing with a game-high seven draw controls in the triumph.
  • Natalie Held - The C2C's reigning Defensive Player of the Year and USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American elevated her game in 2024, leading the team and setting new career marks in draw controls (77), ground balls (50), and caused turnovers (37). Her clip of 1.85 caused turnovers per game ranks second in the conference.
  • Madeline Davis - A back-to-back All-C2C First Team nod, Davis has logged 36 ground balls and 27 caused turnovers in 2024.
  • Abby Fleishell - The sophomore from Sykesville, Md. has stepped up for the Sea Gulls in the wake of injuries, corralling 27 ground balls and causing 13 turnovers. She was a force in the conference championship, leading the Sea Gull defense with three forced errors.
  • Elizabeth Hesen - Hesen slots third on the team with 19 forced turnovers while adding 18 ground balls on the season.
  • Kaitlyn Hunsinger - The graduate net-minder landed back on the All-C2C First Team and earned USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American honors this season, ranking atop the conference and 10th in the nation with a 7.89 GAA. She has recorded 106 saves and a 16-3 record across 20 games.

Opposing Teams

  • 20-3 (9-1 Liberty) in 2024
  • Second consecutive Final Four berth
  • Fell to Ithaca in Liberty League title game
  • Topped MIT, Gettysburg, Colby to reach final weekend
  • Signature Wins: No. 5 Salisbury, No. 6 Gettysburg, No. 7 York (Pa.), No. 13 Colby, No. 19 MIT, No. 23 Cortland
  • Signature Losses: No. 7 Wesleyan (Conn.), No. 10 Ithaca (twice)
  • Offensive Player to Watch - #13 Natalie Daniels: Daniels has earned back-to-back IWLCA Player of the Week nods after tallying 13 goals and 35 draw controls since the start of the tournament.
  • Defensive Player to Watch - #16 Maddie Montgomery: Montgomery has caused a team-leading 40 turnovers while adding 45 ground balls. She has also been arguably the most consistent Heron offensive threat, totaling 98 points on 80 goals and 18 assists while shooting 45.7 percent on the season.
  • Goalkeeper - #32 Maura Smeader: Smeader has tallied 156 saves this season, ranking fifth nationally with a 7.33 GAA while boasting a 19-3 record through 22 appearances.
  • 21-0 (10-0 NESCAC) in 2024
  • 49-game winning streak
  • Making 28th appearance in NCAA Tournament, 23rd in national semifinal
  • Beat No. 3 Wesleyan to clinch NESCAC Championship; 12th overall, fourth in last five seasons
  • Signature Wins: No. 4 Tufts, No. 5 F&M, No. 8 Wesleyan (Conn.) twice, No. 9 Colby twice, No. 10 TCNJ, No. 11 Pomona-Pitzer, No. 16 Williams, No. 18 Amherst twice, No. 20 Trinity (Conn.)
  • Offensive Player to Watch - #2 Hope Shue: Shue eclipsed the 100-point mark on the season in the team's win over No. 11 Pomona-Pitzer on Sunday, reaching 75 goals and 25 helpers on the season. She has also tallied 57 draw controls.
  • Defensive Player to Watch - #19 Kylie Wilson: Wilson has caused a team-leading 30 turnovers while scooping 39 ground balls in 2024.
  • Goalkeeper - #36 Gina Driscoll and #34 Elizabeth Savage: The duo of Panther net-minders has split time for Middlebury this season. Driscoll has logged 46 saves and a 13-0 record, while Savage has tallied 51 saves and an 8-0 line in 2024.
  • 19-3 (7-1 Centennial) in 2024
  • 13th all-time appearance in the national semifinals; 10th in NCAA era
  • Back-to-back trips to Final Four for first time since 2015-16 seasons
  • Shook off No. 6 Gettysburg to take Centennial Conference title
  • Signature Wins: No. 4 Salisbury No. 4 Tufts, No. 6 Gettysburg, No. 7 York (Pa.), No. 12 Roanoke, No. 23 Haverford twice, No. 25 Denison
  • Signature Losses: No. 1 Middlebury, No. 7 W&L, No. 8 Gettysburg
  • Offensive Player to Watch - #8 Lydia Cassilly: Cassilly leads the team with 104 points on 66 goals and 38 assists, ranking fourth nationally in assists since the start of the tournament (8).
  • Defensive Player to Watch - #7 Belle Dintino: Dintino has caused a game-high 38 turnovers while adding 40 ground balls and 38 draw controls.
  • Goalkeeper - #44 Alyssa Moran: Moran has logged 130 saves in 2024, touting an 18-3 record and a 9.69 GAA.
Division III Tournament Bracket

#GoGulls

Read More