NEWARK, Del. - - For the fourth year in a row, the Wilmington University women's lacrosse team is headed to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Semifinals, as the No. 3 Wildcats defeated No. 6 Bridgeport, 18-11, on Tuesday at the WU Athletics Complex in the First Round.
A key 6-1 second quarter sparked the Wildcats, who set a new single-season program record with their 13th win this year. They will now play No. 2 Jefferson in the CACC Tournament Semifinals, making their eighth appearance in the final four. They appeared in the 2019, 2021, and 2022 CACC Semifinals as well, with the 2020 season being called off.
Bridgeport went on a 4-2 scoring run to close the first quarter and led 5-4 after the opening 15 minutes of play. But the Wildcats started the second quarter on a 5-0 run, making it six consecutive goals to take a 9-5 lead. Maddie Day and Amelie Gamache scored twice in the second quarter, and then Ella Royer capped the scoring with a goal with 5:40 to play, sending the Wildcats into the halftime break leading 10-6.
The Purple Knights started the third with back-to-back goals to get within 10-7, but then Amelie Gamache scored a free position goal sandwiched around two Ella Baynes free position goals, and the Wildcats led 13-8. Bridgeport beat the clock at the end of the third quarter to bring the tally to 13-9 with one quarter to play.
Bridgeport again started the final quarter with a goal to make it a 13-10 game, but the Wildcats buckled down and scored five straight goals in a span of 3:11 game time, opening an 18-10 lead.
Freshman Ella Royer led the Wildcats with five goals and two assists, adding four draws and two caused turnovers as well. Alea Javorowsky dished out a game-high five assists, scoring one goal for six points. Ella Baynes scored four goals and added an assist while Maddie Day also scored four goals. Amelie Gamache chipped in with three goals and an assist while Makenzie Stritzinger had a program's fourth best 13 draw controls in the game.
Katie Vindigni made 10 stops in goal for the Wildcats while Marisa Swanson and Stritzinger had three caused turnovers each. Taylor Culver, Zorah Perry, and Jacqulyn Falkenstein all had two caused turnovers as well.
The CACC Tournament Semifinal game is set for Saturday, May 6, at Post University. The Wildcats and Rams will play the second semifinal that day, starting at approximately 2:30 p.m. at LaMoy Field.