FROSTBURG, Md. - The Frostburg State Women's Lacrosse team secured their first-ever Mountain East Tournament Championship with a commanding 17-10 victory over Notre Dame College on Sunday afternoon. 

The Falcons won the opening draw control and looked for the opening goal, but sophomore Delaney Devers shut down any notion of an NDC lead with a caused turnover that led to FSU's first offensive possession. Senior Lilly Stephens fed junior Anna Kearney from behind the goal, with the latter making a couple moves inside the arc before firing a shot into the back of the net two minutes in. Just over a couple minutes later, sophomore Nicole Gray made a huge stop in goal, which resulted in Stephens scoring a solo goal from a near-impossible angle for a 2-0 lead.

After yet another Notre Dame draw control, freshman Dahlia Trippel got Frostburg the ball back with a caused turnover and groundball pickup, eventually setting up Stephens to get fouled and win a free position, which she effortlessly put away. NDC got yet another draw control but still couldn't manage to get on the scoreboard, with a pair of shots going high and giving FSU the ball back on offense. Freshman Emily Lamoreaux made it four goals in four possessions on a free position for a stunning 4-0 lead. Finally, 11 minutes into the quarter, Notre Dame got off the mark, taking advantage of a Bobcat yellow card for Grace Rotter to score a free position man-up goal. 

Frostburg did not let that momentum last long, as freshman Neila Haney was fouled with two and a half minutes left in the period and easily put away her free position shot, followed up just 40 seconds later with Kearney scoring a man-up free position for a shock 6-1 lead. The Falcons had a late chance to get a goal back, but an awkward shot careened back off the crossbar, keeping FSU with a five goal lead at the end of one. 

Quarter number two began fairly slowly, with each team trading turnovers for the first four minutes. NDC was the first to get things going, as Joselyn Storm began the start of a great individual day with a solo goal. Frostburg fired back on a pair of quick goals from Haney and sophomore Kerri Hayes, appearing to take full control of the contest up 8-2. Notre Dame had other ideas, however, putting up a fight in the final seven minutes of the quarter. They started with goals from Storm and Grace Nickoloff to get within four, but were pegged back when Trippel capitalized on a man-up free position. The Falcons had the last laugh of the half, fully swinging momentum in their favor with scores from Kendal Johnson and Piper Hammond inside the final 30 seconds to suddenly pull within 9-6 at the break. 

In similar fashion to the second period, the third quarter featured little offense as the defenses shined through the first seven minutes. It took a Notre Dame yellow card to get things moving, as Lamoreaux scored her second of the day off a free position for a 10-6 advantage. After Frostburg forced a pair of NDC turnovers, Lamoreaux got her hat trick of free positions, setting a new career-high with her third goal of the game and the Bobcats' five-goal advantage restored. 

Still, the two-time defending tournament champions showed their resolve, with Storm winning a pair of draw controls 40 seconds apart, scoring a goal, and watching Rotter earn her second score to pull within a deficit of three again at 11-8. Any hopes of a comeback were effectively shut down in the final two minutes of the period, however, as FSU was determined for this to be their year taking home a title. Trippel took over the offense with back-to-back goals a minute apart, then Haney put away a pass from Stephens with eight seconds on the clock for a 14-8 lead headed to the final frame. 

Storm put on quite the show in an attempt to will her team in the last quarter, scoring her fourth goal of the game just over a minute in to get within five. Gray then stood tall again, thwarting the Falcons' next attempt at goal, which sparked the bench and the home crowd. After a yellow card against Frostburg, Lamoreaux caused a turnover on NDC's resulting possession, from which Stephens earned a hat trick of her own with another free position goal for a 15-9 lead. Another fantastic Gray save and Devers caused turnover allowed Hayes to score her second of the game, then a draw control win from junior Camden DeMaio allowed Trippel to feed Haney for the latter's fourth goal of the afternoon. In the final 90 seconds, Storm put away her fifth score of the day, but it was too little, too late, as the FSU bench sprinted onto the field at the final buzzer with a 17-10 victory to secure their first conference championship at the Divison II level. 

For the Falcons, Storm had herself a career day, setting a new personal best in draw controls (10) and tying her career high in goals (5), while Hammond also stuffed the stat sheet with four draw controls, three caused turnovers, a pair of groundballs, and a goal scored. 

The Bobcats were led by Haney's four goals, as Lamoreaux, Trippel, and Stephens all recorded three goals apiece, while Kearney and Hayes added a pair each. Devers, Gray, and Trippel were astounding in defense, combining for nine caused turnovers and nine groundballs. 

With the win, Frostburg ends their title-winning season at 12-8, the program's most wins since 1992, while Notre Dame finishes at 10-9. 

FSU set new program records this season in goals scored (291), total points (407), and goals against average (8.53). 

Additionally, the MEC announced its 2023 All-Tournament team, featuring 11 players from the four competing teams. 

MEC All-Tournament Team
Madison Partridge - Charleston (WV)
Piper Hammond - Notre Dame College
Carlie Wilson - NDC
Darby Stolz - UC
Lilly Stephens - Frostburg State
Emily Lamoreaux - FSU
Joselyn Storm - NDC
Dahlia Trippel - FSU
Nicole Gray - FSU
MVP – Neila Haney - FSU