Ducks Take First-Ever No. 1 Seed to MPSF Tournament
April 23, 2012
MPSF Women's Lacrosse Weekly Release - 4/23/12
OREGON (7-0 MPSF, 12-4 Overall) won its first-ever MPSF regular season title with a 13-8 outcome over Denver this past Saturday. Kristina Barrett scored a season-high four goals, along with two assists in the clinching win for the No. 1 seed. Nikki Puszcz added three goals, and Caroline Federighi had a season-high .600 save percentage (12-for-20). Winners of seven straight, Oregon faces No. 4 seed Cal in Thursday's MPSF Semifinal, a 10-9 game in Eugene (Feb. 26).
DENVER (6-1 MPSF, 12-2 Overall) is the No. 2 seed this week, facing No. 3 Stanford in one semifinal at 7pm Friday. The Pioneers won the regular season meeting, 12-9 in Denver on Apr. 7. Jenn Etzel had two goals and one assist, while Mikayla Clark also scored twice. Etzel ranks fifth in the conference in scoring (2.64 GPG). Jill Remenapp ranks third in assist average (1.93 A/G), and Kate Henrich tops the MPSF with a 3.07 caused turnover and 2.43 ground balls average.
STANFORD (5-2 MPSF, 7-9 Overall)won its final three conference games to solidify the three seed, as it hosts the MPSF Semifinals and Finals this week. The Cardinal fought back to edge UC Davis (19-18) and California (9-8), followed by a 16-7 home win over St. Mary's. Emilie Boeri scored the last of her three goals with 24 seconds left to edge Cal. Stanford erased a four-goal deficit at UCD with 20 minutes left in the game, using a 6-0 run for the win.
CALIFORNIA (4-3 MPSF, 8-7 Overall) is seeded fourth in the MPSF Tournament, and takes on No. 1 seed Oregon in the semifinals at 4 pm Friday. Paige Gasparino recorded a game-high tying three goals in the final regular season game vs. Stanford. Vail Horn scored twice and goalkeeper Megan McGinnis collected 10 saves. Megan Takacs leads the conference in goals per game (4.08) and is second in points per game (4.54).
FRESNO STATE (1-6 MPSF, 3-10 Overall) posted its first-ever MPSF victory, a 12-11 sudden-victory at UC Davis in the final game of the season. Briana Hetherington assisted Sara Weber for a goal two minutes and five seconds into the first sudden-victory period. The Bulldogs trailed 7-4 at half, and 10-6 with about 20 minutes left. Natalie Harrington dished five second-half assists, which lifted her into the MPSF top-10 in that category (1.00 A/G).
ST. MARY'S (1-6 MPSF, 3-11 Overall) split in its final two MPSF games, including a road victory at Fresno State, 20-6. Amanda Cross had four goals in the win, and is third in the conference in points per game (3.79) and fourth in goals per game (2.93). Mariah Walk delivered a game-high five goals, while Rachel Minarovich and Juliet Munroe added three. The Gaels conclude the season at UC Davis Tuesday in non-conference.
UC DAVIS (2-5 MPSF, 5-10 Overall) Charlotte Morris scored a career-high five goals and Elizabeth Datino tallied four goals and five assists for nine points, in the home game vs. Stanford (Apr. 18). Morris had two goals with two assists to lead UCD in the MPSF finale against Fresno State, while Datino, Elizabeth Landry, and Hannah Mirza also scored twice each. The Aggies wrap up the season with a non-conference home game vs. St. Mary's Tuesday (Apr. 24).
SAN DIEGO STATE (2-5 MPSF, 5-10 Overall)Meris Walsh scored six goals and added an assist in the Aztecs' final week of their first season. On Apr. 13, she scored four times, and added three draw controls and two caused turnovers in a win at St. Mary's, 13-12. Walsh is third in the MPSF in goals per game (3.13).
CAROLINE FEDERIGHI MPSF PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Oregon sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Federighi (Pleasanton, CA/Amador Valley HS) played the whole game in net, as the Ducks clinched their first ever regular season title in the 13-8 win over Denver. She recorded 12 saves against 22 shots while only allowing eight goals, for a season-high .600 save percentage. Federighi has 114 saves, an 8.94 GAA, and a .511 save percentage to accompany her 12-3 record this year. She enters the MPSF Semifinals with 201 saves for her career, which is third all-time at Oregon.
Also Nominated: Kate Henrich (DEN); Natalie Harrington (FS)