WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Colby-Sawyer women's lacrosse team took care of business in the quarterfinals of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) handling the Blue Jays of the University of Saint Joseph by a 17-8 final.
 
Rapid Recap:

• The Blue Jays would strike first in the first quarter with Ashley Rufo sneaking past the Chargers keeper junior AJ Paton (Exeter, N.H.) off of a feed from Anna LeGault. First year Andrea Smith (Gray, Maine) would counter quickly finding a transition pass from junior Heather Hanson (Barnstable, Mass.) and evening the score. Five minutes later her partner in the attack first year Rose Finlayson (Hopkinton, N.H.) would tab her first goal off of a beautiful feed from graduate student Sydney Stevens (Laconia, N.H.), before returning the favor to senior Olivia Romo (Marlboro, Vt.) putting the Chargers up 3-1 at the end of the first quarter.
• The home team would come out firing to start the second quarter with LeGault notching her 48^th goal on the season, followed by Reagan Buscetto evening the score at three a piece. 45-seconds later the Blue Jays would find their first lead of the game behind a second score from LeGault. First year Gracie Pizon (Stratham, N.H.) would fire a shot off of beautiful feed from sophomore Elena Bronson (Bristol, Vt.) to tie the game back up at four. The Blue Jays would tally two more scores before half to go into halftime up 6-4 over the Chargers.
• Junior Soph Kuhlthau (Cheshire, Conn.) would start the scoring in the third with an unassisted snipe before Rufo and Buscetto would give the home team a three-goal lead. This would be the last of the home teams scoring. The rest of the third would be controlled by the Chargers. Finlayson and graduate student Hannah Marquis (Weare, N.H.) would exchange goals to even the score at 8-8. Stevens would continue to throw dimes assisting on a goal from Finlayson and sophomore Cecelia Ponzini (Windham, N.H.) before scoring her own off of a feed from Smith putting the Chargers up 10-8. Hanson would take her turn notching scores driving to the net allowing the lead to grow to 14-8. First year Madeline Knight (Pownal, Maine) would finalize the victory off of a dish from Marquis putting the Chargers up 17-8.

Post Game Press:
"Today we absolutely dominated everywhere on the field!" said first year Rose Finlayson (Hopkinton, N.H.), "We are ready to do it again in the semifinals!"
"We got this win today by playing for one another and having each other's backs," explained first year Andrea Smith (Gray, Maine). "We plan to bring fire right into semifinals!"
 
Inside The Numbers:

• Smith, Finlayson, and Romo each notched three goals and one assist each leading the Chargers offense presence. Stevens would round out the offensive attack adding one goal and assisting on three. Hanson filled the box score with two goals, one assist, two ground balls, four caused turnovers and controlling five draws. Defensively juniors Emma Webster (Campton, N.H.) and Hannah Himes (Windsor, Vt.) each added three ground balls and three caused turnovers.
• Junior goalkeeper AJ Paton (Exeter, N.H.) tallied four saves in the win today bringing her record to 11-4 on the season.

Up Next:
The Chargers travel to Boston, Massachusetts on April 30th to play the Saints of Emmanuel College with the time to be announced.

For the latest on Colby-Sawyer Athletics, follow the Chargers on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CSCathletics), Twitter (www.twitter.com/CSCathletics) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/CSCathletics).