Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey women's lacrosse team advance to the regional semi-finals of the NCAA Tournament with an 8-2 victory Sunday afternoon over William Smith College. The top-ranked Lions improved to 18-2 on the year, while the 16^th-ranked Herons ended the year at 15-5. The win is the 11^th straight for the Lions and TCNJ is now 9-0 all-time against the Herons.
 
TCNJ broke through in the opening minute, scoring a free position goal off the stick off Kasey Donoghue (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape). The Herons would respond with the tying goal by Melissa Moore, her 50^th of the year.
 
Much as they have all season, the Lions scored a flurry of goals, ending the half on a 3-0 run. Allie Gorman (Sicklerville, NJ/Washington Twp.) broke the tie off a feed from Olivia Cleale (Yardley, PA/Notre Dame (NJ)). Kathleen Jaeger (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) and Donoghue provided the rest of the offense in the half.
 
90 seconds into the second stanza, William Smith struck again with a goal from Rachel Yackel, but that would be the last time a shot would get by Lions net minder Miranda Chrone (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown). TCNJ scored four unanswered to close out the game. Donoghue and Jaeger each completed their hat tricks along with a team-leading 53^rd of the season by Alexandria Fitzpatrick (Burlington, NJ/Northern Burlington).
 
Elizabeth Morrison (Stonington, CT/Stonington) had a strong game on the defensive end leading the Lions with five ground balls, six caused turnovers, and four draw controls. Morrison's 83 caused turnovers this season is tied for the sixth most in NCAA Division III history.
 
The Lions will next face Bowdoin College in the regional semi-final. More information on that game will be available Monday.