Box Score IMMACULATA, Pa. – The 2017 Notre Dame lacrosse season came to a close this afternoon after falling to fourth ranked Immaculata University in the first round of the Colonial States Athletic Conference playoffs.  The Gators went goal-for-goal against the Mighty Macs through the first 15 minutes of play, but Immaculata went on a 12-goal run that the team could not recover from as they fell, 17-5.

Sophomore Megan Morales secured the opening draw control for the Gators and would find the goal with just under a two minutes off the clock to give Notre Dame a 1-0 lead.  The Mighty Macs would immediately answer on their next possession to see the score tied at one apiece.

After Morales picked up her second draw control of the game, senior Brittany Smith would get a free position shot attempt.  Smith would hit the crossbar, but junior Kaitlyn Walter was on the rebound and scored for Notre Dame, Gators up 2-1 with just over three minutes off the clock. 

Both teams would see several shot attempts over the next five minutes of the first half, but Immaculata would find the back of the net, tying the game for the second time, this time at two apiece.
On the next draw control, the Mighty Macs gained possession and scored to go up by one.  With 10 minutes off the clock, Immaculata would again score taking two goal lead.  Morales would secure the next draw control and go straight to goal, scoring, getting the team back within one, 4-3.

To close out the first half, Immaculata would go on a nine-goal run adding three to open the second half to go up 13 over Notre Dame.  With just under 20 minutes left in the game, sophomore Kirstin McGee would record her 11^th goal of the season to put the Gators on the board in the second half, 16-4. 

Immaculata and Notre Dame would each score one more goal to close out the game.  The Gators would fall, 17-5.

Notre Dame saw major improvements this season, finishing 5-8 overall and 5-4 in conference play.  The had three more conference wins over last season and secured the fifth seed in the playoffs.  They averaged two more goals a game, with 27 more total goals.  They had 28 more assists, 57 more groundballs, 32 more draw controls, and 25 more caused turnovers.  In the CSAC the team finished, first in draw controls and fourth in points per game.

Morales against Immaculata earlier in the season she secured her 100^th career goal and finishes her sophomore season with 133, good for 9^th place in Notre Dame's record books.  She also broke Notre Dame's single season draw control record, with 89, the record she set last season.  Morales was named to the First Team All-CSAC, while leading them in goals, points, and draw controls all season.  She was named to the CSAC Weekly Honor Roll and received CSAC Player of the Week recognition last week. 

Walter finished the season with 42 goals, averaging 3.23 a game, finishing fourth in the conference.  This week, she was named to the CSAC Honorable Mention Team.  McGee led the CSAC all year in assists per game with 2.15, finishing the season with 28 and is now tied for 4^th for Notre Dame single season assists record. 

Goalie De'Ja Martin put up eight saves against Immaculata and finishes her career with 395 saves.  Martin finishes the year with 118 saves, her best season of her career.  She made over 50 appearances in goal for the Gators.  She now holds the fourth spot in Notre Dame's record books for career saves.

Notre Dame is graduating four seniors and returning 11 next season.