LEXINGTON, Va. – Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the other team. The 11^th ranked team in the nation, Ithaca College, did to Notre Dame of Maryland what the Gators had done to their opponents all season. Score early, often, play strong defense, and play keep away in the second half. Sadly, the two-time defending Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Champions season comes to an end in a 23-1 defeat. Their first and only loss of the season.

Ithaca had the benefit of a large roster, and keeping their players fresh as 23 players took the field for the Bombers. The Gators brought a starting 12 with no substitutions available. The Bombers substituted often, many times to stymie a clearing attempt by the Gators to near perfection, as Notre Dame could only muster two clears on 17 tries. Sometimes a sub would send an offensive player into the scoring zone under the radar. If they go unaccounted for, it can make for an open look at a pass, shoot, and score.

CSAC Rookie of the Year, Sara Morales scored the lone goal for the Gators with 18:57 left in the first period, her team leading 31^st goal of the season.

Heartbreaking for sure. Tears were shed. Emotions reach their peak when you fight so hard, for so long, and wait this long (with the 2020 season canceled) to return to the NCAA Tournament, where only one team gets to leave without losing their last game of the season.

But these women have a lot to proud of this season. Earning the right to play for the national championship is something 256 other Division III schools that played women's lacrosse in 2021 didn't get to do. They can also hang their hat on the fact that they were selected by the committee to skip the eight team first round, and go right to the second round. 

These Gators have laid a solid foundation of two straight CSAC Championships and two straight NCAA tournament berths. They are building upon that with national tournament experience with a first round exit in 2019, a second round exit in 2021. Keep using these experiences as building blocks, and the sky is the limit. Exciting opportunities will be there for the taking once again in 2022.

Congratulations on a fantastic 2021 season by the CSAC champs, and congratulations to seniors Marie Salas and Michaela Seay. Salas' Goalkeeping ranked her in the top-ten nationally in the important statistical categories, while Seay earned CSAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Both of these women, along with the seniors on the other sports programs at Notre Dame of Maryland will be honored at the Gators Senior Day celebration on May 19^th, at Alumnae Field.

 
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