SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University women's lacrosse program is headed to the NCAA Final Four for the 15th time in program history and third time in the last six years after a 17-4 NCAA Regional Final Elite Eight win over No. 19 Christopher Newport University Sunday afternoon inside Sea Gull Stadium.
Regan McDonnell got the scoring started for the Sea Gulls (20-0) before
Lauren Hackett tallied a goal three minutes later, giving SU an early 2-0 lead over CNU (16-7). The first-quarter dominance continued for Salisbury, with
Grace Doyle scoring off an assist from
Audrey Harrington to extend the lead.
Mackenzie Demaio then added her name to the scoring hat for SU, as the Sea Gulls scored on four of their first eight shots while CNU had yet to record a single shot.
With just under five minutes left in the first quarter, Hackett tallied her second goal of the opening quarter and forced a Captains timeout, trailing 5-0. Doyle added to the totals out of the timeout for SU before CNU was finally able to get on the board with just under two minutes left in the opening frame. Salisbury led 6-1 at the end of the first quarter with eight more shots than CNU. SU also turned the ball over four fewer times than the Captains.
McDonnell once again got the scoring started in the second quarter, this time just 12 seconds in. Harrington tallied her first goal of the contest at the seven-minute mark of the second quarter, giving SU an 8-2 lead. The Sea Gulls carried that score into the halftime break. After the teams scored seven goals in the first, they only combined for three in the second. SU was outshooting CNU 19-3 through two quarters and only had four turnovers while the Captains tallied 11.
Once again, it was the Sea Gulls striking first to open a quarter, this time in the third. Harrington found Doy just three minutes into the quarter to extend the lead to 9-2. After a Captain's goal,
Miranda Mears entered the scoresheet with a goal off an assist from Harrington, which caused CNU to call their second timeout. CNU scored out of the timeout, but Mears quickly answered with an assist from Demaio, putting SU back out in front 11-4.
Mears and McDonnell tallied two more goals in the quarter, off assists from Harrington and
Grace Milliron. SU led 13-4 heading into the final quarter of action of the Regional Final. To this point of the game, SU was outshooting CNU 26-7 and tallied 20 of those shots on target. The Salisbury defense also tallied 12 caused turnovers, while CNU had 17 total heading into the fourth.
Mears and Hackett connected just 30 seconds into the fourth quarter, giving the Sea Gulls a 10-goal lead. Harrington, Hackett, and Milliron added to the totals in the fourth, extending the lead to 17-4. That would finish as the final score, sending the Sea Gulls to the Final Four.
GAME NOTES
- The Sea Gulls improved to 34-0 against CNU, spanning back to the program's first battle in 2004. This season marks the second time both sides have clashed three times in a year, with the 2021 campaign being the other occasion.
- Audrey Harrington produced her sixth performance with six or more points on the year by tallying two goals and dishing out four helpers. Harrington has amassed 14 points in three outings against Christopher Newport.
- Miranda Mears reached the 60-point plateau by finding twine four times. Mears converted on four of her six tries to fire at a 66.7 percent clip.
- Lauren Hackett generated her sixth straight four-point performance by notching a hat-trick and an apple.
- Regan McDonnell was a force on both sides of the field, logging three goals, two ground balls, two caused turnovers and four draw controls.
- Grace Doyle partnered with McDonnell in the midfield, going for two scores, two grounders and three caused miscues.
- Sydney Block replicated her line from the last time SU faced CNU by flagging three ground balls and forcing three errors.
- Abby Fleishell played a pivotal role in giving the Gulls possession, reeling in six draw controls, three ground balls and creating one change of possession.
- Paige Ellis improved to 19-0 while making three saves, with a CT to boot. Jaclyn Bange made one stop in relief.
- The Sea Gulls held the Captains to their lowest shot total since March 7, 2020, outshooting CNU 31-9. Salisbury won the ground ball battle 19-9 and went 19-for-20 on clear attempts.
The Sea Gulls will head to Judson Stadium on the campus of RIT for the 2026 NCAA DIII Women's Lacrosse Final Four where they will face No. 3 Wesleyan (Conn.) on Friday. More information can be found
HERE in the upcoming days.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 211 conference championships, and have produced 54 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
