File photo courtesy Mark Campbell

WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Despite four goals from senior attack Casey McCrudden (at right), the fourth-seeded University of Delaware women's lacrosse team blew a three-goal halftime lead and dropped a season-ending 15-14 heartbreaker to top-seeded and 20th-ranked William & Mary in a Colonial Athletic Association semifinal showdown on Friday evening at Albert-Daly Field.

The Tribe's Ashley Holofcener scored the game-winner with 6:56 left in regulation, as Delaware missed several opportunities to tie it up in the final minutes. Senior midfielder Katie Muth and junior midfielder Debbie Sloan notched three goals apiece for the Blue Hens, who also got 10 saves from junior goalkeeper Jessica Cerveny.

Delaware tallied the final four goals of the first half - one each from Muth, McCrudden, Sloan, and Courtney Aburn - to take a comfortable 9-6 lead at intermission. But the Hens' momentum vanished at the beginning of the second period, as they allowed four unanswered William & Mary goals in the first six minutes of the frame. Standout attack Jaime Sellers, who led the CAA with 60 regular-season goals, scored three times in a 2:37 span during the crucial surge.

Neither team led by more than one goal the rest of the way. Junior midfielder Alexis Curcio found the net after a nifty feed from Muth to tie it at 10-all at the 23:34 mark, but CAA Rookie of the Year Grace Golden answered three minutes later for the Tribe. After UD regained the lead midway through the half on scores from Muth and freshman attack Corinne Drost, Sellers knotted the score at 12 with 15:20 on the clock.

Golden made it 13-12 with her second goal of the evening at the 13:44 mark, but Sloan responded immediately with a shot that deflected off a defender's stick and trickled slowly past W&M keeper Emily Geary. Clare Dennis gave the Tribe a 14-13 edge with just over 10 minutes remaining, but Muth rocketed home her third of the night on a pass from Emily Schaknowski to tie the score an 11th and final time.

Holofcener put the Tribe ahead to stay by ripping a free-position shot over Cerveny's shoulder. William & Mary won the ensuing draw and played keep-away for the next six-plus minutes, refusing to turn the ball over despite relentless pressure from the Hens.

Sophomore midfielder Emily Schaknowski collected four assists for Delaware (11-6, 4-3 CAA), which fell to 0-3 all-time in the CAA semifinals. The Blue Hens dropped a 15-13 decision to James Madison in last season's conference tourney.

Sellers finished with a game-high five goals for William & Mary (10-8, 5-2 CAA), while Golden and Holofcener chipped in with two goals and one assist each. The Tribe advances to face either No. 2 seed George Mason or No. 3 seed Towson in Sunday's championship game.

William & Mary out-shot UD 34-29, enjoying a 20-10 advantage in the second stanza. The Tribe tallied 20 ground balls to the Hens' 15 and held a 16-15 edge in draw controls.

Delaware was whistled for 18 fouls on the night, while William & Mary committed just nine on the way to its fourth consecutive victory.

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