Ewing, NJ...Throughout the years, The College of New Jersey women's lacrosse team has won numerous NCAA Championships and garnered various other accolades, but on Saturday the program added the title of New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament champions to that list. The fourth-ranked Lions handled visiting Rowan University 15-3 to claim the first tournament title offered by the conference.
 
The championship was the fifth for the Lions since the NJAC began sponsoring the sport six years ago, but the first four came when the first-place finisher in the regular season was crowned the champion. By winning the NJAC title, TCNJ also received the conference's automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Division III Tournament. The field for the tournament will be announced at www.ncaa.com at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 4.
 
The Lions will enter the national tournament with a record of 17-1, while the Profs hope to earn an at-large bid with a 13-5 record.
 
Rowan struck first in the game with Rachel Emerson (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) scoring unassisted 1:39 into the game.
 
The hosts responded with a flurry, scoring five straight goals. Sophomore Cortney Natalicchio (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) tied the game at 1-1 and then helped the Lions take the lead for good when she set up junior Kendal Borup (West Windsor-Plainsboro South) for a goal. That goal came with 23:07 on the clock and was her 50^th of the season.
 
Junior Ava Fitzgerald (Merrick, NY/Calhoun) made it 3-1 with 16:46 left in the opening frame and Natalicchio and Borup added two more goals as the Lions pushed the lead to 5-1.
 
The Profs got one of those goals back when Brittany Bollendorf (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) converted an assist from Becca Wood (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East). That goal came with 11:20 left in the period.
 
TCNJ closed out the half putting together a modest 5-1 run that saw senior Jen Garavente (Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.) score twice, while Fitzgerald, senior Lauren Pigott (Jobstown, NJ/Northern Burlington), and Borup added single scores to send the Lions into the half with a 10-3 advantage.
 
The Lions dominated the second half scoring all five goals and did not allow the Profs to add to their total. Borup and Fitzgerald scored on TCNJ's first two shots of the half as they came 26 seconds apart in the initial 1:17 of the fresh period.
 
Borup, Natalicchio, and junior Erin Waller (Washington Twp., NJ/Washington Twp.) picked up the game's final three goals to put the finishing touches on the win.
 
TCNJ's defense was outstanding during the NJAC Tournament as they allowed only four goals over the two games, and in each game, kept the opposition off of the scoreboard in the second half.
 
Borup led all players with six points on five goals and one assist, while Natalicchio tacked on three goals and two assists. Fitzgerald picked up three goals, giving her a team-leading 60 on the season.
 
Lion goalie Kelly Schlupp (Holland, PA/Council Rock South) collected the win with one save.
 
Rowan goalie Lindsay Barrie (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) was impressive as the senior registered 11 saves.