ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – The St. Mary's College of Maryland field hockey team is headed to Saturday's Atlantic East Conference championship game following Wednesday's shutout victory over Marywood University, the defending Atlantic East champion. The No. 1-seeded Seahawks (10-7) handed fourth-seeded Marywood (10-9) a 3-0 setback in the semifinals of the 2021 Atlantic East Conference Championship Tournament.

St. Mary's College will host Saturday's championship game and will face No. 2 seed Cabrini University, a 2-0 winner over No. 3 seed Gwynedd Mercy University in today's other semifinal game.

How It Happened

  • Just before the first period ended, senior forward Rachel Lansbury (Annandale, Va./W.T. Woodson) put the Seahawks on the scoreboard with flick from the left side to the far-right corner in the 13th minute.
  • Following a scoreless second quarter, St. Mary's College headed into halftime with the one-goal lead.
  • Marywood regrouped during the break and came out more aggressive in the third frame, taking its first shots of the game.
  • Sophomore midfielder Ashley Berrol (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) notched her first career goal in the 37th minute to double the Seahawks' lead when Berrol finished a pass from senior captain Gabrielle Corder (Centreville, Md./Queen Anne's County), who sent it from the end line just past the penalty stroke spot.
  • St. Mary's College went up 3-0 once the clock expired at the end of the third period as sophomore midfielder Audrey Dickens (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) poked the ball past the Pacer goalkeeper and fellow classmate Anna Eaton (Silver Spring, Md./Blake) redirected the ball to the back of the cage.
  • Neither side took a shot in the fourth quarter.
Rachel Lansbury running vs. Neumann (10.9.21)

Inside the Box Score

  • The Seahawks finished the semifinal matchup with a 12-5 (7-1) shot advantage and doubled up Marywood, 6-3, in penalty corners.

Top Performers

  • Junior captain Angelina Arter (Delmar, Md./Delmar), this week's Atlantic East Defensive Player of the Week, paced the Seahawks with three shots.
  • First-year goalie Kaley Christman (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) was hardly tested and finished with one save in recording her fifth shutout.
  • Lauren Youngken led Marywood with two shots while Rachel Yohn made four saves as the team's two-game win streak was snapped.

Notes

  • Saturday's appearance in the championship game will mark the third time in program history that St. Mary's College will vie for a conference title.
  • The Seahawks previously competed in a championship game in 2007 and 2008, taking on Salisbury University both times for a shot at the Capital Athletic Conference title. So far, SMCM is 0-for-2 in title runs.

Up Next for the Seahawks

  • Nov. 6 vs. No. 2 seed Cabrini (10-8) – St. Mary's City, Md./Jamie L. Roberts Stadium – 1:00 p.m.