Gophers Dispatch Crusaders, Gain Entry to Landmark Playoffs

Most Goals for Goucher Since Scoring 26 vs. Marymount in 2001

TOWSON, Md. — The two teams going head-to-head for the final berth in the Landmark Conference's upcoming postseason tournament were clicking on offense today. Goucher strung together nine consecutive goals over one stretch of the first half that lasted more than 16 minutes, yet the Gophers were only up 14-8 on Susquehanna at halftime.

The Crusaders, who tallied the final three goals of the first half and four of the first five in the second period, managed to get as close as 15-12 on an unassisted goal by Michelle McGinniss with nearly 23 minutes still left to be played. But four straight goals by the Gophers had the lead back up to seven less than five minutes later and head coach Katie Trainor's squad went on to down Susquehanna, 25-17.

That's the most goals the Gophers have scored in a game since they whacked Marymount, 26-6, in the quarterfinals of the 2001 Capital Athletic Conference postseason tournament. That year Goucher had the highest-scoring offense in Division III, averaging 17.0 goals per contest.

The Crusaders (7-7, 0-3 Landmark) twice enjoyed two-goal leads during the opening 10 minutes of the contest, but they needed an unassisted goal by Erin Dyer to tie the score at 5-5 with 18:49 remaining in the first period. A goal by Mary Lambert (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill) off a free-position shot just 1:08 later not only put the Gophers (7-7, 1-3 Landmark) ahead to stay, it also ignited the nine-goal run that provided Goucher with a 14-5 advantage.

Becca Smith (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) stuck two goals and set up a goal by Lambert during the four-goal spurt the Gophers went on after Susquehanna had closed to within 15-12 in the early stages of the second half. Once Goucher built its lead back up to seven, the Crusaders never got any closer than five the rest of the way.

Hannah Khin (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth), who was the leading scorer in the Landmark Conference going in, contributed eight goals to the victory, raising her total for the season to 57. Lambert added seven goals, while Smith and Erin Reifsnyder (Austin, Texas/St. Andrews Episcopal) chipped in with four apiece.

Colleen Cole (Holliston, Mass./Northfield Mt. Hermon School) accounted for three of Goucher's five assists and Sara Miller (Baldwin, Md./Dulaney) controlled five draws for the Gophers.

McGinniss furnished the Crusaders with six goals.

Even though the two teams combined for 42 goals, which is a new record for a Landmark Conference game, both goalies reached double figures in saves. Katelyn Brower stopped 13 shots for Susquehanna and Ashley Shaner (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) made 10 saves for the Gophers.