BALTIMORE – The season came to a close for the Colgate women's lacrosse program on Thursday evening as the Raiders fell to Patriot League Regular Season Champion No. 11 Loyola in a 20-12 final. Despite having an early lead in the Patriot League Semifinal, the No. 5 seeded Raiders were unable to harness the offense of the No. 1 seeded Greyhounds.
After facing nearly an hour of weather delays, the Raiders opened the semifinal showdown by gaining the opening possession and recording a quick scoring chance. Loyola was first to get on the board just over 2:00 after the opening draw, but it was freshman
CC Telesco who wrapped around the back of the net and responded for the Raiders by popping the ball inside the near post. Colgate quickly gained its first lead of the day at 2-1 after Telesco fed the ball inside the arc to
Annelise Kotz, who patiently waited out the defenders for space and scored inside the right pipe.
The nationally ranked opponent tied the game again minutes later before
Tara Atkinson broke away from the pack on the right side and lifted Colgate to a 3-2 lead. It would continue to alternate as Loyola tied the game with a low bounce to the goal midway through the half but once the Greyhounds scored on back-to-back possessions, the home team would not sacrifice another lead change for the remainder of the game.
After the Raiders were leading 3-2, it was
Noelle Patterson who was able to snap Loyola's nine-goal scoring run for Colgate's fourth of the day. After Patterson dodged around the back of the net and spun around to narrow the Greyhounds lead to 11-4, the Raiders were able to capitalize on Loyola fouls late in the half. To score their fifth of the evening
Jacklyn Hooey fed the ball out front to Telesco from a free position chance, and the freshman duo crept the ball low past the goalie to hype up the Colgate sideline.
Returning from the half facing a 12-5 deficit, Colgate flew down the field as
Madeline Barcia centered the ball to
Danielle Van Calcar. A quick stick tally put goal number six up for the Raiders although Loyola continued to remain ahead. Colgate continued to chip away at Loyola's lead as Van Calcar completed her hat trick on a 3-1 run. By scoring on a free position chance,
Lindsay West joined the scoresheet to make it a 16-9 score shortly thereafter.
The Raider offense continued to pressure down the field, as Hooey swooped into the arc and scored over the head of the Loyola goalie to narrow the deficit to 19-11 with minutes remaining in regulation. The final push came as Patterson recovered a ground ball after Hooey's attempt on a free position chance. Patterson scored over the defenders in the final minute of play, but the final would stand at 20-12 to end the Raiders season despite their seven-goal second half.
STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
• By recording two goals and three assists, senior
Tara Atkinson had a second consecutive five-point game to total 10 in the Patriot League Tournament. An all-around performance, Atkinson also tallied a team-high of three ground balls and four caused turnovers on the day. Behind 27 goals and 34 assists, Atkinson led the Colgate squad with total 61 points on the season.
• In a standout season, junior
Noelle Patterson scored in all 18 games on the year to notch a team-leading 38 on the year with a pair against Loyola. In addition to her career-high offense, Patterson earned a team-high of seven draw controls on the night to post a career-best of 57 this season.
• Tying her career-best of three points, freshman
CC Telesco earned two goals and one assist in the Patriot League Semifinals. In addition to scoring in a second straight game for eight total goals on the year, Telesco had a hand in the first two tallies for her fifth multi-point game of the season.
• Posting her fifth hat trick of the season and eighth multi-goal game, sophomore
Danielle Van Calcar extended to a three-game scoring streak by putting up a trio of goals. Van Calcar finished the season with 28 overall for 41 points.
• After joining the Raiders as a sophomore transfer,
Annelise Kotz made a quick impact by scoring 20 goals on the season, and completed the year on a three-game scoring streak by earning Colgate's second against Loyola.
• Junior
Lindsay West followed up her hat trick performance at Boston University (April 28) in the Patriot League Quarterfinals by scoring her career-best 23rd of the season.
• Since notching the game-winner at Lafayette (April 26), freshman
Jacklyn Hooey improved to a three-game scoring streak in recording her 15th of the season.
• Five Raiders posted a multi-point game against the nationally ranked opponent.
THE BOTTOM LINE
• No. 11 Loyola 20, Colgate 12
RECORD UPDATES
• Colgate finishes with an 8-10 record, and earned a 5-4 mark in Patriot League regular season action.
• No. 11 Loyola improves to 14-4 overall on the season, and posted a 9-0 record in Patriot League play.
COACH BEVILLE'S TAKE
"I'm so proud of our effort against Loyola. Facing a top-10 team twice within two weeks is never easy but I think we showed glimpses of greatness and the ability to compete at a higher level than we thought possible.
"Our season certainly had its ups and downs and we were faced with many challenges, such as the lightning delays today, but the team did an amazing job responding to everything thrown their way."
SEASONAL STAT NUGGETS
•
Tara Atkinson solidified her place in the Colgate record book and sits third in program history with 34 assists in a single season. The attack is also tied for ninth all-time with 56 assists in her career.
• By winning 55 draw controls,
Danielle Van Calcar ranks sixth in program history of draw control wins in a single season. Van Calcar previously set the program record in 2018 by winning 72, and currently sits fourth in program history with 127 in her career.
• Also finding success in the circle,
Noelle Patterson ranks tied for fourth in program history with her 57 draw control wins in a single season. The junior will enter her final season in 2020 holding 75 draw control wins in her career.
• Goalie
Samantha Croston will enter her senior season ranked 10th in program history with her 17 career wins.
• With its upset over Boston University (April 28), Colgate advanced to its first Patriot League Semifinal since 2015 and faced three nationally ranked opponents along the way.
• Five Raiders earned postseason awards as Atkinson, Barcia, Croston, and Patterson were named to All-Patriot League Second Team honors, while
Lexi Luthringer was recognized on the 13-player Academic All-Patriot League Team.
• Colgate graduates four seniors in
Tara Atkinson,
Madeline Barcia,
Kara Marzo, and
Chelsea Taylor.
FOLLOW THE RAIDERS
For more information on the Colgate women's lacrosse program, follow the Raiders on Twitter @ColgateWLax and on Instagram at ColgateWLax.
