ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – Another Saturday, another championship title for the St. Mary's College of Maryland women's lacrosse team. Fresh off its United East Conference Divisional Championship win, St. Mary's College captured the 2026 United East Conference x Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Crossover Championship crown Saturday afternoon (May 2) to secure the automatic qualifying bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament.
The top-seeded Seahawks (7-10) notched a convincing 20-2 win over No. 1 seed Alfred State College (12-5), the 2026 AMCC Division Champion, behind a career-best seven goals from junior midfielder
Sanne Elling (Ocean View, Del./Sussex).
First-year attacker
Sarah Fitter (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) was named the Tournament MVP after tallying 13 goals and seven assists throughout SMCM's playoff run.
Sarah Fitter, Tournament MVP
Additionally, junior midfielder
Hope Harrison (Catonsville, Md./Mount de Sales) notched her 100th career point with her fourth point of the game – an assist in the third quarter. Harrison finished the game with two goals and two assists.
St. Mary's College will find out its next opponent Monday, May 4, during the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Selection Show at 10:30 am ET on
NCAA.com.
How It Happened
- The Seahawks rushed out to a 13-0 lead with 7:07 remaining in the first half, setting the running clock into motion with less than two minutes into the second quarter.
- Alfred State avoided a shutout loss when Alyssa Turner found the back of the net before halftime.
- Elling notched three goals and an assist in a 6-0 run to put SMCM up 19-1 with 10:12 left in the game. Turner struck again for the Pioneers with a woman-up goal before first-year attacker Ava Kessel's (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) wrapped up the game's scoring with her third of the season.
Inside the Box Score
- St. Mary's College outshot the visitors, 42-7, while dominating the draw controls, 20-5, as senior captain Katelin Scala (Catonsville, Md./Mount de Sales) collected a career-best 12 draws.
- The Seahawks posted a +9-turnover margin as junior defender Claire Boudreau (Towson, Md./Towson) led the defense with a career-high four caused turnovers.
- SMCM gained an 18-11 edge in ground balls as senior captain Gina Jaffurs (Leonardtown, Md./St. Mary's Ryken) picked up a career-best five loose balls while Boudreau added four.
St. Mary's College Game Notes
- Elling finished with a career-best eight points as she added an assist to her seven goals.
- Fitter put up three goals and three assists while Scala contributed three goals, two assists, and two ground balls in addition to her 12 draw controls.
- Junior attacker Grace Maurice (Clinton, Conn./Cheshire) chipped in a goal and two assists.
- Jaffurs was a factor at both ends of the field with two goals and an assist plus five ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Alfred State Game Notes
- Maeve Runyon made eight saves for the Pioneers while Turner notched her first points of the season by scoring both team goals.
Up Next for the Seahawks
- May 9 vs. TBA – TBA – TBA (NCAA Tournament First Round)
Facebook: StMarysAthletics |
Instagram: @smcseahawks, @smcmwlax
Twitter: @smcseahawks, @SMCMWLAX |
Hashtags: #GoSeahawks #SeahawkPROUD
