Women's Lax Set To Open NCAA Tournament At Williams

BABSON PARK, Mass. -- After a nine-day hiatus, the Babson College women's lacrosse team is ready to hit the road to take on host Williams College in the opening round of the 2010 NCAA Division III Championship Tournament on Wednesday. Face-off is set for 6 p.m. with ticket prices of $3 for adults and $2 for students with ID.

Making its fourth straight national tournament appearance, Babson currently sports a record of 14-3 while boasting a ranking of sixth in New England and 11th in the country. The Beavers earned an automatic bid to the tournament by winning their fourth consecutive NEWMAC Championship with a dominating 17-3 victory over Springfield back on May 2.

Babson is led by the outstanding tandem of senior captains Anna Collins (Winchester, Mass.) and Kaitlyn Pettengill (Hopkinton, Mass.), who have combined for 148 points this spring. The 2009 and 2010 NEWMAC Player of the Year, Collins led the squad with 56 goals and 21 assists for 77 points, while fellow First Team All-Conference selection Pettengill added 54 goals and 17 assists for 71 points. As a result, Pettengill enters this year's tourney as Babson's all-time leader with 216 goals and 274 points, while Collins is close behind with 214 goals and 271 points in her career.

Also playing key roles on this year's team have been First Team All-Conference honorees Sarah Macary (Woodbury, Mass.), who went 12-3 with a 9.74 GAA and a .482 save percentage in net this spring, Alyssa Hood (Newport, R.I.), who ranked third on the squad with 39 goals and 21 assists for 60 points, and Trisha Babson (Duxbury, Mass.), who led the team with 87 draw controls while adding 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points. NEWMAC Rookie of the Year Jamie Spang (Kennebunk, Maine) will add depth on offense for the Beavers, while senior captain Marissa Monaco (Quincy, Mass.) and juniors Ellen McCurdy (Weston, Mass.) and Kristy Benoit (Shrewsbury, Mass.) will anchor the team's stellar defense.

Williams (12-6) makes its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the NESCAC Championship this past weekend. The Ephs, who leapt past the Beavers in both the regional and national rankings as a result, are ranked fifth in New England and 10th in the country. Williams is led by Sam Weinstein, who totaled 49 goals and two assists for 51 points this season, and Kaitlin Ellis, who added 16 goals and 30 assists for 46 points. Margie Fulton, Meera Sivalingam, and Whitney Thayer all added 30-plus points this spring, and Julia Schreiber recorded an 8.59 GAA and a .531 save percentage in 18 games in net.

The winner of Wednesday's game will move on to face host Gettysburg (PA) College in the Round of 16 on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

NOTE: If approved by the NCAA, live video of Wednesday's game will be available on Williams' Teamline webpage.