Sarah Orkin '09 and Erin McCarthy '10 Help Cards Down Conn, 13-12, Colby up Next in NESCACs

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In a high-scoring affair at Conn. College Fri., April 24 in the reguar-season finale, Wesleyan never trailed and pulled away from the final tie at 10-10 to capture a vital 13-12 victory. That win allowed Wesleyan to secure the seventh seed in the NESCAC tournament and earn a trip to second-seeded Colby for a rematch with the Mules Sun., April 26 in the first round of the playoffs. The Cardinals fell to Colby, currently ranked third nationally in Division III, in Waterville during the regular season, 17-12.

Wesleyan led by as many as four goals during the second half at Conn after holding an 8-5 edge at halftime. But the Camels rallied for four consecutive tallies to tie the game at 10-10 with 11:43 remaining. Claire Hunter '11 put the Cardinals ahead for good, scoring at 9:23 off a feed from Allie Lynch '11. Erin McCarthy '10 (#22, photo insert lower right) put home her fourth goal of the game at 8:12 to give Wesleyan a two-goal cushion. Conn cut it to one less than two minutes later but Sarah Orkin '09 (#21, main photo) responded with her third goal of the contest, and fifth point of the game, at the 6:01 mark and it stood up as the game-winner. The Camels did cut it to 13-12 with 53 seconds left but Wesleyan held on.

Keeper Maggie Drowica 12, who played the second half for the Cardinals and posted the win, made 13 saves while yielding seven goals. Abby Sedney '10, who played the opening 30 minutes, had seven stops with five goals allowed.

In addition to the Wesleyan-Colby matchup Sunday in the NESCAC tournament, Tufts hosts Amherst, Middlebury hosts Bates and Trinity hosts Williams in first-round games.

(photos courtesy of ChiaraBest.com)