Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. - Becky Bucha (Waccabuc, NY/John Jay) tied a career high with six goals and added one assist to lead eighth-ranked Gettysburg past No. 20 Washington 9-4 in the semifinals of the Centennial Conference (CC) women’s lacrosse championship on Saturday.

 Bucha scored six goals in a game for the first time since Mar. 8, 2001 to help the Bullets (14-3) post their fourth straight win over the Shorewomen and 11th in the teams’ last 12 meetings.

Gettysburg (14-3) moves on to face sixth-ranked Ursinus on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the CC championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.  The Bears defeated Franklin & Marshall in the day’s other semifinal, 13-7.

Casey Costello (Tiburon, CA/Santa Catalina School) scored two goals in the win while Megan Murphy (Wilton, CT/Wilton) added one goal and one assist.

Casey Sawma led the way for Washington (9-7) with two goals in the losing effort.

The Bullets jumped out to a 4-0 lead and – after the Shorewomen cut the deficit to 6-3 going into halftime – used an overpowering defense to hold Washington to one goal in the second half.

The Bullets grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first 65 seconds of the game and never looked back.  Murphy, the current CC Player of the Week, opened the scoring with a goal 57 seconds into the contest off a Julika Blankenship (Crumpton, MD/Kent County) assist.

Bucha scored eight seconds later and then found the twine again on a free-position shot at the 11:35 mark, only her second free-position marker of the season.

Costello scored her first goal of the game at the 13:16 mark before the Shorewomen got on the scoreboard with a Minta Sayres goal from Janet Studdiford at 19:26.

Gettysburg reclaimed a three-goal advantage when Costello found the back of the net off a Bucha assist at 19:47.

Bucha capped her first hat trick at the 25:09 mark to give the Bullets a 6-1 advantage, before Washington responded with two goals in the last 90 seconds of the half to cut the Gettysburg lead to 6-3.

 Kristen Bozella found the net at 28:08 and Sawma scored off a Paige Heller assist, but the Shorewomen could get no closer after the break.

Bucha scored the final three goals for the Bullets, including her sixth goal of the game with one second remaining.

Washington’s goalie combination of Mandy Higdon and Amy Stein made seven saves in the second half.

The Gettysburg defense was led by sophomore goalkeeper Liz Borucki (Medford, NJ/Shawnee), who recorded all six of her saves in the second half.

The Bullets are seeking their second CC championships on Sunday. Gettysburg, which is looking to snap a three-game losing streak to Ursinus, claimed its first title in 2000.
 

Score by Half	1	2	-	F
#20 Washington (9-7)	3	1	-	4
#8 Gettysburg (14-3)	6	3	-	9

Goals:

Washington: Casey Sawma 2, Kristen Bozella, Mintra Sayres.

Gettysburg: Becky Bucha 6, Casey Costello 2, Megan Murphy.
 
Assists:

Washington: Janet Studdiford, Paige Heller.

Gettysburg: Julika Blankenship, Murphy, Bucha.
 
Shots: Washington 12, Gettysburg 25.

Ground Balls: Washington 14, Gettysburg 22.

Goalies: Washington (Mandy Higdon 30:00, 4 saves, 6 GA; Johanna McCormick 30:00, 5 saves, 3 GA), Gettysburg (Liz Borucki – 60:00, 6 saves, 4 GA).

Draw Controls: Washington 2, Gettysburg 11.

Caused Turnovers: Washington 4, Gettysburg 7.

Turnovers: Washington 18, Gettysburg 11.

Fouls: Washington 10, Gettysburg 6.

Free Position: Washington 0 of 2, Gettysburg 2 of 4.
 

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