Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – It was only fitting the right to host the 2008 Centennial Conference Tournament came down to the final conference game of the regular season and it pit two of the top-ranked teams in all of NCAA Division III against one another. Third-ranked Franklin & Marshall College proved the better team on Saturday, holding off a late rally by fourth-ranked Gettysburg College to win 10-8 on a warm and sunny afternoon at Clark Field.

Franklin & Marshall (14-1, 9-0 CC) claimed its second-straight perfect regular season in the conference with the win and will host the CC Tournament on April 26-27 in Lancaster, Pa. Gettysburg (15-2, 8-1 CC) earned the No. 2 seed and will meet third-seeded Dickinson College (11-4, 7-2 CC) in the semifinals. The Diplomats will face the victor of the first round game between fourth seed McDaniel College (9-6, 5-4 CC) and fifth seed Muhlenberg College (11-4, 5-4 CC) set for Wednesday, April 23. The winner of the tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Saturday's contest was a tight-knit affair with Franklin & Marshall gaining the upper-hand initially with goals by Meredith Lussier and Jen Pritchard in the opening six minutes. The Bullets countered with a pair of quick scores just over one minute apart as senior Krissy Browning (Baldwin, Md./Fallston) tallied the first at 20:04 and sophomore Nina Emala (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr) followed at 19:10, both coming on passes from senior Megan Moore (Chestertown, Md./Gunston Day School).

It remained even with goals by Lussier and Browning, but Pritchard tacked on her second goal of the half with just under 10 minutes remaining to give the visitors a 4-3 edge at the break.

The Diplomats extended their lead with a pair of goals to open the final stanza before Gettysburg notched its first score by sophomore Hollis Stahl (Highstown, N.J./Peddie School) at 24:19 to pull to within 6-4. A free position goal by Sarah Meisenberg pushed the margin back to three (7-4) with 22:03 remaining.

The Bullets sliced the deficit to one with back-to-back scores by senior Katie Ceglarski (Darien, Conn./Darien) and sophomore Lexie Hearn (Old Greenwich, Conn./ Greenwich), the former coming on a nice feed from Stahl behind the goal and the second via a free position shot.

Once again, Franklin & Marshall took control with a three-goal run, sparked by Pritchard at 13:51. Ashley Bevington added the second score 1:29 later and Lussier finished off a four-goal day with the visitor's final tally at 6:50 to up the lead to 10-6.

Gettysburg ran off two goals over a 45-second span in the final five minutes to pull to within 10-8. Moore notched the first at the five-minute mark after picking up a loose ball, while Hearn tossed in the second on a free position attempt. The Bullets controlled the ensuing draw and Stahl took a shot at the goal that sailed wide. After thwarting a Diplomat clear attempt, the hosts went on the offensive and Browning drew a foul inside the eight-meter arc for a free position attempt at 2:22. The shot sailed just outside the post and Franklin & Marshall gained possession. The Diplomats successfully cleared the ball and kept the ball away from the rushing Gettysburg defenders over the course of the final two minutes to earn the win.
Lussier finished with four goals, while Pritchard added three goals and one assist. Mary Blake Hargest and Shannon Summers each added two assists, the former adding one goal. Meisenberg added a goal, an assist, and three ground balls.

Browning and Hearn each finished with two goals for the hosts, while Moore notched one goal and two assists. Stahl added one goal and one assist. Ceglarski recorded one goal, a team-high four ground balls, and one caused turnover.

Sophomore goalkeeper Kristen Krammer (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) made six saves for the hosts, while Lidia Sanza stopped five shots for the Dips.

Gettysburg concludes its regular season schedule at Cabrini College on Wednesday, April 23, at 4 p.m.