The top-seeded Arcadia University women’s lacrosse team defeated second-seeded Wilkes University, 17-13, on May 3 in the 2014 Freedom Conference Championship Game, and in doing so secured the program’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. Senior Jenna Crothers was named the 2014 Freedom Conference Women’s Lacrosse Tournament MVP.

The Knights are now 18-1 for the season, marking the most wins in a single season for the program. The Colonels fell to 13-3 with the loss, their second of the season to Arcadia.

NCAA Tournament: The Knights host Cabrini College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Wednesday, May 7, at 7 p.m. on Easton Field. For more information, visit athletics.arcadia.edu.

Wilkes sophomore Madeline Brownsey tied the game, 3-3, with her first goal of the game 13 minutes into the first half. However, Arcadia senior Sara Volk-Perez scored two goals in a span of 1:47 to begin a seven-goal run at end the opening period, giving the Knights a 10-3 halftime lead.

The teams traded goals for most of the second half before the Colonels went on a three-goal Colonels to bring the score to 15-10 with exactly eight minutes remaining in the game. Juniors Jaclyn Feffer and Haylee Molloy scored back-to-back goals in a span of 1:17 to give Arcadia a 17-10 lead with 5:04 left to play.

Wilkes closed the game with a three-goal run during the final five minutes, but it was not enough to complete a comeback.

Crothers finished the match with three goals and a game-high seven assists, giving her a total of four goals and 10 assists for the tournament. She now has 34 goals and a school-record 80 assists for a school-record 114 points this season. Her career assist total is now 116.

Molloy and sophomore Dawn Faranetta both tallied three goals with two assists, while sophomore Adeline Bellesheim scored a game-high four goals in the contest. Sophomore goalie Jordyn Dunacusky totaled nine saves in the game to improve her record to 18-0 for the season.

Dunacusky’s 18 wins in net are a school record for wins in a season. Her current goals against average of 6.20 in 2014 also is a school record. Molloy now has 197 goals and 48 assists for 245 career points, placing her within two points of tying the program record of 247 points accumulated by Traci Conrad (1994-97).

Senior Gabby Ford scored three goals with three assists to lead the Colonels, while junior Carley Smith finished with three goals and one assist. Freshman Katherine Marcoux also had a three-goal game. Freshman goalie Morgan Galluzzo had just four saves while taking the loss in net.

Arcadia held a 28-25 advantage in shots and a 25-21 edge in ground balls, while Wilkes had a 17-14 edge in draw controls.

Photo by Pedro Leal ’13