Western Connecticut State University

DANBURY, Conn. - Graduate student midfielder Vicky Gracy (Bethel, Conn.) netted a game-high four goals to propel the No. 1 seeded Western Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team to its second consecutive Little East Conference Championship with an 11-9 victory over visiting No.2 seed Southern Maine on Saturday afternoon at the Westside Athletic Complex.

Sophomore middie Kyla Murnane (Bethpage, N.Y) added two goals and one assist for the hosts, while gathering a game-high four ground balls. Junior attack Isabella Pota (East Meadow, N.Y.) chipped in with a scoring strike and two helpers. 

Cierra Hill paced the Huskies with a pair of goals and two assists, while Katelyn D'Appolonia found the back of the net twice while handing out one assist.

Neither team led by more than one goal until midway through the second quarter. Gracy took a pass from Murnane and tickled the twine to put the Wolves ahead, 5-3. The Huskies rallied and tallied back-to-back goals with under two minutes remaining in the stanza, seizing a 7-6 halftime advantage. D'Appolonia buried a shot into the net before Hill found a cutting Eliza Pattershall for the go-ahead marker.

WestConn countered with a three-goal flurry in the third. Gracy canned the equalizer before senior Mia Negus (Rocky Point, N.Y.) and Murnane fired home shots, giving the hosts a 9-7 lead. The visitors retaliated with a pair to deadlock the count at 9-9 heading into the fourth.

The Wolves answered with two early goals in the final period. Pota and junior Grace King (New Milford, Conn.) each scored to put the Wolves on top, 11-9. Sophomore goalkeeper Norah Zuidema (Marlboro, N.Y) and the rest of the defense stepped up to keep the Huskies off the board for the remainder. She smothered a pair of shots from D'Appolonia with under three minutes left to play en route to sending the Wolves to yet another NCAA Championship Tournament. Zuidema was stellar in between the pipes, shielding the twine for eight saves, while Southern Maine netminder Maggie Jones finished with 10. 

With the victory, the Wolves improved to 15-3 overall while the Huskies season came to an end at 14-5. WestConn will now await the NCAA selection show to determine who they will play in the first round.