#3 TCNJ WOMEN’S LACROSSE TEAM TOPS RIVAL ROWAN, 18-8

Ewing, NJ…Playing its final home game of the season, The College of New Jersey women’s lacrosse team celebrated “Senior Day” on a winning note as the third-ranked Lions posted an 18-8 victory over the Profs on Thursday.

The win puts TCNJ at 13-1 on the season with two games remaining, while the Profs concluded their regular season with a record of 12-4.

Prior to the game, the Lions honored seniors Christine Cavallo (Cedar Grove, NJ/West Essex), Toni-Anne Cavallo (Cedar Grove, NJ/West Essex), Karen Doane (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan), Caitlin Gregory (Winslow, NJ/Eastern) and Diane Haddeland (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) for their hard work and dedication to the program.

Once the game started, those players had a role in the outcome, but they also had plenty of support from some of the younger players on the team. Junior Kelly Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) opened the scoring and sophomore Lisa Seldeen (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) netted the next two getting the hosts off to a good start with the 3-0 lead.

The Profs got on the board with 20:08 remaining in the opening half as Caitlin Meseroll (Oakhurst, NJ/Ocean Township) made it a 3-1 game.

TCNJ put together a modest 3-0 run to round out the half as junior Katie Reuther (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North), freshman Leigh Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) and Seldeen each scored to put the Lions in front 9-3 at the break.

Rowan scored first in the second half, as Nicole Valianti (Oaklyn, NJ/Collingswood) trimmed TCNJ’s lead to 9-4, but that would be as close as the Profs would get the rest of the way.

Toni-Anne Cavallo came alive in the second half scoring four times, while Haddeland scored three times in the final frame as the Lions held a 9-5 edge on the scoreboard in the final period.

Cavallo finished with a game-high five goals and Seldeen netted four with a pair of assists. Haddeland recorded the hat trick with one assist, while Jaeger and Reuther each chipped in with a pair of goals.

Rowan’s Lauren Crennan (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) scored three times for the Profs leaving her four goals shy of reaching the 50-goal plateau. Meseroll also added a pair.

Gregory collected eight saves for her 25th career victory.

In goal for the Profs, junior Alicia Mannino (Richboro, PA/Conwell-Egan Catholic) had a busy game making 19 saves.

The Lions are on the road on Saturday heading to Frostburg State University for a 1 p.m. start with the Bobcats, while the Profs await a bid to post-season play.