Kelly Hits Single Game CT Record, Three Record Hat Tricks to Send WLAX to Championship

FROSTBURG , Md. – The top-seeded Frostburg State Women's Lacrosse team took down No. 4 West Virginia Wesleyan in the MEC semifinals on Wednesday evening by a score of 24-7.

Prior to the game, the MEC and Frostburg recognized MEC offensive player of the year, sophomore Nelia Haney, MEC defensive player of the year, graduate Maura O'Neill and MEC Coach of the Year, Taylor Cline. Additionally, Frostburg had six players who earned All-Conference awards: junior Kerri Hayes and sophomore Jessie Bare were named ALL MEC first-team followed by senior Camden DeMaio, sophomore Isabelle Kelly and Junior Nicole Gray who were named ALL MEC second-team while junior Megan Keller received ALL-MEC honorable mention.

Bare won the initial draw, shortly followed by the first goal of the game by junior Julia Badolato. After the sides traded turnovers and Gray made her first save in net, DeMaio, Hayes and sophomore Sydney Stone put away the next three within two minutes to give FSU a 4-0 edge. A free position for WVWC earned them their first goal of the contest at 4-1. With under four minutes to go in the first, FSU went on a five-goal run as sophomore Emily Lamoreaux, Haney, O'Neill and graduate Lilly Stephens all put the ball past Wesleyan's goalie to put the score at 9-1 going into the second.

It took roughly three minutes before the next period saw a score, as Kelly and sophomore Julia Mangini each recorded a caused turnover to keep WVWC's offense at bay. On a free position, Badolato saw another score, followed by Lamoreaux winning the draw, resulting in junior Brittyn Leonard getting her first goal at 11-1. Wesleyan cut FSU's lead with another goal in the eleventh minute 11-2, then threatened again with the next DC, but Keller came up with a CT and groundball to get Frostburg the ball back. Two straight goals from Haney put Frostburg up 13-2 with under five minutes to play, the first resulting from a WVWC yellow card and the second after she was first to react to a saved shot. DeMaio traded goals with Wesleyan just before half to put FSU up 14-3 at the break.

Quarter three began with a goal from DeMaio after Keller created a successful clear. A turnover by WVWC put the ball in the stick of Leonard, who fed Lamoreaux for another score, then seconds later on a man-up opportunity, O'Neill pushed the score 17-3 off a feed from DeMaio. Wesleyan was unable to put up a point in the period, whereas FSU put up five more from Hayes, O'Neill, Stone, junior Savanna Reitz and freshman Natalie Williams, leading 22-3 after three.

WVWC was given a man-up advantage to score their fourth goal five minutes into the fourth. Wesleyan then made it back-to-back just a minute later, seeing the score at 22-5. Answering back, freshman Gianna Leonardi had a solo goal which formed from a draw control by freshman Maya Mosslih. Williams put another one in the back of the net while WVWC put away two, all within the last four minutes, but when the clock ran out, the final score read 24-7 with Frostburg on top.

Haney led all scorers with five goals, followed by O'Neill and DeMaio each with three, the latter also recording her 150th career point while adding three assists. Kelly's outstanding defensive effort was highlighted by nine caused turnovers, surpassing former standout Malory Brunett's program record of seven set in 2015. O'Neill and Keller each chipped in with a pair of CT's and a combined seven groundballs. 

With the conclusion of today's game Frostburg, moves to an overall record of 12-5, while West Virginia Wesleyan ends their campaign at 4-13. FSU will next host No. 2 Charleston (WV) in the MEC championship game on Sunday, May 5 at 2 p.m. For more information visit frostburgsports.com.