The Massachusetts women’s lacrosse team claimed a 14-5 victory over Robert Morris in the Mid-American Conference semi-finals. A six-goal first quarter for the Minutewomen (15-2, 8-0 MAC) held off the Colonials (6-12, 3-5 MAC) to advance in the MAC tournament.
A six-goal first quarter propelled UMass to the win, with two each from Katie Onderdonk and Kassidy Morris.
Six minutes into the game, Onderdonk scored the first non-free position shot to give the Minutewomen a two-goal lead. A shot off the post by Morris bounced out of the zone and was collected by the Ontario, Canada native. Making a run into the offensive zone, Morris passed the ball to Onderdonk, who made an underhanded shot that got past Lucy Carney.
Onderdonk scored to get her second goal of the game with less than four minutes remaining in the first quarter. Under heavy coverage by the Robert Morris defense, the West Chester, PA native made a run across the 8-meter arc, receiving a pass from Morris. Onderdonk’s two goals in Thursday’s game are her 20th and 21st goals on the season.
With 6:15 left in the first quarter, Morris collected a pass from Dylan Lyons outside of the 12-meter fan. The senior, while under strong defensive coverage, weaved through three Colonials defenders to gain an open lane and rip the ball past the Robert Morris defender to make it 4-0.
Morris’ first goal of the game put UMass up by three less than halfway through the opening frame, off a strong shot that got past Carney. The attacker received a toss-up pass from Lil Hancock and made a run into the 8-meter arc, splitting the seam of two Colonial defenders and opening a lane to shoot the ball into the back of the net.
The Minutewomen did not find the back of the net again until late in the second quarter, off a free position shot from Morris.
“We started really strong,” head coach Jana Drummond said. “[We just have to] try to make sure we keep that consistency throughout the entire game.”
After notching only one goal in the third quarter, UMass found its footing late in the game, scoring four goals in the fourth quarter to clinch the win.
With less than a second remaining in the game, Lyons capitalized on a one-woman advantage. Making a run into the 8-meter arc, the Orange, Conn. native received a pass from Vivian LaMange and made an underhand shot to get the ball past Carney.
Lyons’ first goal came at 8:58 in the fourth quarter when she pushed through double coverage by the Robert Morris defense. Receiving a pass at the offensive line from Katie Peterson, Lyons ran the ball into the zone, weaving through multiple defenders to gain the open lane to the net.
The junior also contributed an assist on the sixth goal of the opening quarter on a goal by Ava Connaughton. Connaughton made a run across the crease, collecting a pass from the 12-meter fan and quickly releasing the ball past the Colonials’ goalie.
Connaughton and Onderdonk both narrowly missed out on a hat-trick performance as their goals were called back in the third quarter. The momentum of Onderdonk and Connaughton’s runs caused them to enter the crease as they fell, making the shots.
The Minutewomen will go on to play in the final of the MAC tournament against Akron. The opening draw will take place at 12 p.m. in Moon Township, PA, on May 2. The game can be streamed on ESPN+.
Olivia Pang can be reached at [email protected].
