Colorado College Edges CMS Women's Lacrosse 12-10 in NCAA Tournament Rematch

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The No. 24 Colorado College women's lacrosse team outscored No. 25 CMS 7-4 in the second half as it pulled ahead and captured a tight 12-10 decision on Sunday afternoon at Zinda Field.

The loss was the first that CMS has suffered in the regular season to a Division III opponent in almost two years, since it dropped a 16-8 decision to Tufts on March 15, 2017. The Athenas had won 31 straight regular season games against Division III opponents since that defeat, including 5-0 so far this season. Colorado College improves to 3-0 with the win. 

The Tigers also were able to win in the regular season against the Athenas after CMS had won the regular-season meeting between the teams in each of the last four years. Colorado College has bounced back to defeat the Athenas the last two years in the NCAA Tournament. 

Senior Corie Hack led CMS with four goals and an assist in the loss, while freshman Alex Futterman added a pair of second half goals. Allie Thuet had four goals and three assists to lead the Tigers. 

Hack scored her fourth goal of the game with 13:38 remaining to tie the score 8-8, but Colorado College used a 4-1 run to pull away late. Thuet and Maddie Dibble had back-to-back goals to make the score 10-8, the first time either team led by more than one goal in the entire contest. Futterman answered with 5:33 left to make it a 10-9 game and breathe new life into the Athenas. However, Lauren Pejza scored twice in a span of 34 seconds to push the lead to 12-9, the largest for either team on the day, with only 2:21 remaining. 

Futterman scored her second goal of the game off a pass from freshman Sammie Cohen to make it 12-10 with 1:01 on the clock, but the Tigers won the ensuing draw control and were able to run out the final 60 seconds to secure the two-goal win. 

CMS appeared to take some momentum going into the half with two goals in a span of 25 seconds to take a 6-5 lead at the break. Cohen tied the score with an unassisted goal, and then Hack found sophomore Blaire Southmayd to give the Athenas the lead at halftime. 

Bella Beattie tied the score for Colorado College 2:08 into the second half, and Thuet found King at the 25:51 mark to give the Tigers back the lead. Hack answered with a free position shot at the 21:33 mark, and the game remained deadlocked at 7-7 for seven minutes as neither team could break the tie until Thuet scored with 14:44 to go. Hack answered that goal just over a minute later, but that would be the last time that CMS would be even. 

Anna Gillespie had eight saves in the losing cause for CMS, while Alena Stern had 13 for Colorado College to get the win, including eight in the first half to keep the Tigers close. Junior Allie Hill had four ground balls and junior Zoe Ryan had three caused turnovers to lead the defense. 

CMS will be back in action on Wednesday when it hosts Chapman for a 7 p.m. contest in a game that was rescheduled after the Feb. 27 meeting was postponed.