May 1, 2009

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University women's lacrosse team defeated Howard University 22-5 on Friday afternoon in Farmville to advance to the National Lacrosse Conference (NLC) Championship. The Lancers improved to 10-6 while the Bison fell to 1-12. Longwood was paced by senior Liz Sellmayer/Baltimore, Md. (Mount de Sales Academy) with five goals. The Lancers return to action on Sunday, facing the University of Detroit Mercy at 3 p.m. in the NLC Championship. Detroit was an 18-9 winner over Presbyterian College in the other semifinal match.

Longwood scored the first three goals, the first two by sophomore Karli Brentlinger/Gambrills, Md. (South River) and the third by Sellmayer with 26:09 remaining in the first half. Howard got on the board less than a minute later with a Lauren Rivers goal to make the score 3-1 with 25:20 remaining in the opening half. Longwood would score seven-straight goals to take the 10-1 lead with 7:42 left in the first half. An Ashley Lawrence goal cut the lead to 10-2 but the Lancers scored the final three goals of the first half to take a 13-2 halftime lead.

Brentlinger started the scoring only 75 seconds into the second half with her third goal of the afternoon, giving Longwood the 14-2 lead. Sakita Holley found the net on a free position shot with 27:35 remaining to make the score 14-3. Longwood went on another run, this one five goals, to take the 19-3 lead with 20:13 remaining in the half. Howard scored a pair of goals to make it 19-5 but the Lancers added three goals to make the final score 22-5.

Sellmayer led all scorers with five goals while Brentlinger added three goals and one assist. Junior Carlie Nethken/Hanover, Md. (Long Reach) scored two goals and added one assist while sophomore Cara O'Brien/Arlington (Bishop O'Connell) and junior Page Farmer/Richmond (St. Catherine's) each had one goal and two assists. Senior Lauren Barnaba/Bel Air, Md. (The John Carroll School) and sophomore Amanda Bereznay/Gwynn Oak, Md. (Seton Keough) each scored two goals. Sophomore Kesley Dean/Centreville, Md. (Queen Anne's) had two assists and three ground balls.

Sophomore Juli Liebig/Centreville, Md. (Queen Anne's) allowed only two goals with five saves in the first half.

Howard was led by Holley with two goals. Rivers added one goal and one assist while Lawrence collected five draw controls for the Bison.