Photo Credit: Joel Mackey
 
2019 NCAA DIII Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament – First Round
Lebanon Valley 13, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 11
 
LVC Starters
Kelley, Eck, Mellendick, Ernst, Federowicz, Hathaway, Brewer, Little, Bash, Gabriel, Venezia, Franklin (GK)
 
Merchant Marine Starters
Wohner, Schmidt, Davis, Willard, Parker, Abe, Reilly, Malone, Chamberlain, Biendicho, McHugh, Gizzi (GK)
 
How It Happened
SALISBURY, Md. – Playing in its first-ever NCAA Championship Tournament game, Lebanon Valley delivered a thrilling 13-11 victory over the previously-unbeaten U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in the opening round of the 2019 Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament on Saturday, May 11, at Salisbury University. The Flying Dutchmen will battle No. 7 Salisbury in the Second Round tomorrow, May 12.
 
LVC improved to 12-7 on the season, while the Mariners' season ended at 17-1.
 
The Dutchmen, particularly Emily Federowicz, got off to a hot start, as Veronica Venezia found Federowicz for two straight goals to begin the game, giving LVC a quick 2-0 advantage. Merchant Marine, however, answered with a pair of goals at 23:05 and 19:30, to even the contest at 2-2. Makenzie Kelley then put LVC ahead by one with an unassisted goal at the 13 minute mark, but the Mariners had another answered and Angela Parker netted her 17th of the season with 11:01 left in the opening half.
 
Kelley wasn't nearly done and Venezia was also nowhere near the end of dishing assist. At the 10:46 mark, Venezia found Kelley for a goal and just 25 seconds later, Venezia netted an unassisted goal, putting LVC up by two at 5-3. After Merchant Marine's Jessica Reilly brought her team to within one again, Kelley netted yet-another score from Venezia to give the Dutchmen a two-goal lead at 6-4 with 3:15 to go, and that score held up heading into the halftime break.
 
Just like the start of the first half, Federowicz scored a goal from Venezia to begin second-half action to extend the Dutchmen's advantage to 7-4. Once again, though, the Mariners responded in a big way and scored three consecutive goals to even the game at 7-7 with 23:10 left. Jaclyn Little halted Merchant Marine's run when she found the back of the net for the 36th time this season, followed by Venezia's goal at 21:01. Less than a minute later, Brittany Hathaway netted her 44th of the season to increase the Dutchmen's advantage back to three at 10-7 with 20:35 remaining in the second.
 
After the Mariners' Maddie Schmidt made it a two-goal deficit at 10-8 with 17:22 to go, Little found the back of the net off an assist from Venezia to again make it a three-goal lead for LVC at 11-8 with 15:02 left. Each team then traded off goals and it was a 12-9 lead for the Dutchmen with 6:47 remaining, but two straight scores by the Mariners made things interesting, as LVC found itself up by just one with 4:57 to go on the clock.
 
On the ensuing draw control, Merchant Marine's Meredith Willard controlled it and later was awarded a free position shot, but it sailed high, keeping the Dutchmen up by one with 4:11 to go. LVC cleared the ball out without issue, and Kelley later netted her fourth of the game and 48th of the season to put the Dutchmen ahead by two at 13-11. The Mariners controlled the following draw again and got a shot off with 1:45 left, but it sailed wide and the Dutchmen were able to hold on for their first-ever NCAA win.

Post-Game Interview
After today's historic win, Makenzie Kelley and head coach Jackie Dando discussed the team's total effort and what it meant for the program. Click the link below to watch the interview and fast forward to the 15-minute mark to view LVC's interviews. 

https://d3f1uimdjxapc0.cloudfront.net/salisbury-533054-v.mp4
 
Inside the Numbers
 - This was LVC's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and first NCAA Tournament victory in program history.
 - Kelley finished with four goals on six shots and she also scooped up a pair of ground balls.
 - Federowicz ended with four goals on six shots.
 - Venezia scored twice and added a game-high six assists.
 - Little netted a pair of goals on three shots.
 - Hathaway chipped in a goal and added an assist while controlling three draws.
 - Kayci Strous finished with one assist for the Dutchmen.
 - Jen Eck hauled in a game-high eight draws and collected two ground balls.
 - Morgan Ernst picked up a team-high three ground balls.
 - Leah Franklin made several key stops in 60 minutes of action to earn the win. She made an impressive 15 saves in the win.
 - Merchant Marine was led offensively by Jessica Wohner, who scored three goals and picked up three ground balls.
 - The Mariner's Willard scored twice and notched a pair of assists.
 - Merchant Marine led in total shots at 34-25.
 - LVC went 21-for-23 on clears and the Mariners were 19-for-19.
 - Merchant Marine held the edge in total ground balls at 17-10.
 - The Dutchmen led in draw controls at 15-11.
 
Who's Next?
LVC's magical season will last at least one more game and the Dutchmen will take on No. 7 Salisbury University at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 12, in the Second Round of the NCAA DIII Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament in Salisbury, Md.
 
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