ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University Women's Lacrosse team made history on Saturday afternoon as they won their first conference championship, defeating Marywood University in the Atlantic East Conference final by a score of 18-13.
Alena Catka was named the Most Valuable Player as she finished the game with four goals and four assists, adding 15 draw controls.
Krista Geibler contributed four goals and an assist while
Maggie Miller and
Rachel Roane scored four goals each. Defensively,
Brighid Brady and
Nora Brady led with three caused turnovers and three ground balls each.
Kenna Sanders and
Gracie Kucia had five ground balls each.
Sarah Kiraly made seven saves to secure the win.
The game started out slowly as both teams were thwarted on early scoring opportunities. 3:10 into the game, Catka struck with the player-up advantage, followed 26 seconds later by Roane's first marker of the day. 62 seconds later, Catka found the back of the net again for a 3-0 lead. Marywood popped in their first goal of the day at the 9:13 mark but Catka responded with a free position goal less than two minutes later. Roane made it 5-1 with 3:30 left but 16 seconds later, the Pacers answered. Roane completed the hat trick with 90 seconds left to finish a high-scoring first 15 minutes.
In the second, Catka and
Ainsley George made it a six-goal edge before Marywood threw in their third goal of the day. 18 seconds later, Roane scored and Geibler followed with 6:52 left in the half. Both teams' offense had a lull but the Pacers scored with 1:09 left in the half, showing that they would not go away quietly.
After the break, Geibler and Miller went back-to-back, one player-up and one free position and the Knights led 12-4. Marywood, with 9:59 to go in the third, went on a four-goal spurt over the next 6:38, to get within four goals. Miller ended the run with a player-down goal with 2:41 to go in the quarter although the Pacer scored exactly one minute later. Geibler and Miller again scored but with nine seconds left, Marywood got back within five at 15-10.
The Pacers opened the scoring in the final quarter, but Neumann had a response of goals by Kucia and Miller, giving them a 17-11 lead with 8:12 left. Geibler scored the Knights' final goal, sandwiched between two Pacers goals, and Neumann had the win and the conference crown.
In the post-game ceremony, Sanders was named the 2026 Atlantic East Elite Scholar Winner, which is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing at the finals site at each of the Atlantic East's 20 team championships.
Neumann (9-8) will play in the first round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament next weekend. The selection show will be on Monday at 10:30 AM on ncaa.com.
