GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Regis University Women's Lacrosse team, ranked #14 in the most recent IWLCA Top 25 Coaches Poll and seeded No. 2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women's Lacrosse Tournament, defeated No. 1 seed and tournament host Colorado Mesa University in the RMAC Tournament Championship Game, 12-8 on Sunday evening. The Rangers improve to 13-4 on the season, while the Mavericks fall to 11-6.
This is the Ranger's sixth straight RMAC Tournament Championship, going back to 2019. There was no season in 2020.
The championship automatically qualifies them for the NCAA DII National Tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Justine Spahr controlled the opening draw, but Mesa would score the first goal of the match, at 12:43. But after a Madeline Schallmoser ground ball, Shea Murphy would get the Rangers on the board with an unassisted goal. Megan Bunker would control her first draw of the game following the goal, and ground balls from Brigit Goetsch and Schallmoser helped lead to an Aubrey Benton-assisted goal for Lexie Springman. Within a minute, Murphy scored her second goal, and Spahr scored off a Springman assist, forcing a Mesa timeout. The Mavericks ended the run with a goal at 5:23, but Murphy added one more before the end of the period.
Regis kept the momentum into the second, as Be. Goetsch found Bunker for a score, and after Schallmoser forced a turnover, Murphy found the net on a Spahr assist. CMU scored twice in rapid succession to cut into the lead, but Murphy set up a woman-up goal for Emily Spaeth to give momentum back to Regis. Spahr scored one final woman-up goal to end the half, RU up 9-4.
Both defenses stepped up in the third, as each team only scored one goal, both coming with under 3:30 left. Abby Mays and Br. Goetsch both caused turnovers and picked up ground balls for RU. Terah Skillings and Spaeth both also recorded a ground ball. The Rangers goal in the period came from Benton, unassisted.
Mesa scored the first two goals of the final quarter, both coming from Emme Rezoski. Springman got the Rangers back on the offensive with an unassisted goal at 10:26. After Ayla Cole caused a turnover, and Spahr had a shot on goal, the teams would trade one final goal each, the Ranger's score coming from Benton on a Springman assist, securing the 12-8 win.
GAME NOTES
· Murphy led all players with five points on four goals and an assist. She landed nine of her 10 shots on goal
· Springman recorded four points on two goals and two assists
· Mays picked up five ground balls and picked up two turnovers
· Bunker controlled seven draws
· Justine Anderson had three points from three goals
· Br. Goetsch had three saves and six ground balls in the win
· Heather Hawkins had 10 saves in the loss
ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Tournament MVP: Shea Murphy, RU
Madeline Schallmoser, RU
Justine Spahr, RU
Megan Bunker, RU
Brigit Goetsch, RU
Heather Hawkins, CMU
Justine Anderson, CMU
Olivia Turk, CMU
Carson Dickey, CMU
UP NEXT
The Rangers await their National Tournament Regional matchup. The 2025 NCAA DII Women's Lacrosse Selection Show will air Sunday, May 4th at 6:30 PM on NCAA.com
