Published: 5/3/2019 9:48:43 PM
Modified: 5/3/2019 9:48:29 PM
The Dartmouth College women’s lacrosse team lost to Pennsylvania, 15-14, on Friday in a physical and emotionally-charged Ivy League tournament semifinal at Columbia University’s Commisso Stadium in New York.
The third-seeded Quakers (12-4) advance to Sunday’s final against top-seeded Princeton in a battle for the league’s automatic NCAA tournament berth. The second-seeded Big Green now hopes for its first NCAA bid since 2013.
Dartmouth’s Kierra Sweeney had five goals and Elizabeth Mastrio had four goals and an assist. Sophia Tuchetta had two goals and Kellen D’Alleva had a goal and two assists. Kiera Vrindten saved five of 20 shots on goals while Quakers counterpart Mikalia Cheeseman stopped 13 of 27.
Penn led, 8-7, at intermission and scored the second half’s first two goals. The Quakers were up, 13-9, with 10 minutes to play before No. 18 Dartmouth scored four of the next five goals to pull within 14-13 with four minutes remaining.
Dartmouth’s Kathryn Giroux was called for illegally warding off an opponent’s stick on the ensuing draw control, however, and Penn’s Erin Barry, running across the goal face, unleashed a sidearm shot over Vrindten and just under the crossbar.
Up 15-13 with slightly less than two minutes to go, Penn lost the next draw control, but got the ball back when Dartmouth (11-5) fumbled the ball away.
The Big Green’s Kierra Sweeney scored her fifth goal of the afternoon on a free-position shot with 1 minute, 36 seconds remaining, but her team lost the following draw control. Shortly thereafter, the No. 12 Quakers drew a yellow-card foul, putting Dartmouth down a player.
The Big Green pulled Vrindten for an extra attacker and had possession of the ball in the Penn end when it was whistled for offsides with 41 seconds to go, effectively ending the game.
The Quakers avenged a 15-11 loss to the Big Green earlier this season and are expected to make their 13th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. Dartmouth won 18 of 33 draw controls and produced 27 shots on goal to Penn’s 20.
Dartmouth lost to Penn, 16-14, in last year’s Ivy tournament semifinals.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com.