NEW HAVEN, Conn. – #25 Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse concluded an historic 2024 season on Friday with an 11-5 loss to #11 Johns Hopkins in the NCAA Championship First Round. The Stags were making their sixth consecutive NCAA postseason as the first at-large selection in Fairfield or MAAC history.
 
The Stags finish the campaign with a record of 16-3. Fairfield was ranked for the final eight weeks of the regular season, climbing as high as #22, for the first time since 2009. The Stags reeled off 16 consecutive wins including the first two victories over ranked opponents in program history (#24 UConn, #23 UAlbany). Johns Hopkins improves to 12-7 and advances to meet regional host Yale in Sunday's Second Round.
 
"I thought defensively that was one of the best games we've played. One of the obvious problems was that they had a significantly time of possession, so we had to play a lot of defensive sets," said Head Coach Laura Field. "But I'm tremendous proud of our fight. We had ebbs and flows in our execution, but we continued to answer the bell."
 
The Fairfield defense, which entered the postseason ranked seventh in the nation with 8.33 goals allowed per game, was led by four caused turnovers and three ground balls by Julia Rigolizzo. Maggie Fort added to the effort from the midfield, forcing three caused turnovers with four grounders. In the cage, Claire Morris capped her lone season as a Stag with 10 saves.
 
Offensively, Christine Fabrizi scored two of the Stags' five goals and contributed in the defensive midfield with two caused turnovers and two ground balls. Fort, Haley Burns and Kelly Haggerty each added one marker.
 
Also on the attack, Elizabeth Talluto rounded out an 83-point season – third most in program history – with three assists. Haggerty also dished out one helper.
 
Ashley Mackin scored four goals for Johns Hopkins, and Ava Angello netted a hat trick. Madison Doucette made five saves in the Blue Jays' cage.
 
The crowd of 818 on hand at Yale's Reese Stadium included a large and vocal contingent of Fairfield faithful donning red in support of the Stags.
 
"Of course, being close to home helps, but this is a group that travels," said Field of the swath of red that filled the bleachers. "And it's not just parents and family, it was two busses of students from campus, it was fellow student-athletes, it was alumni, it was students who just went home for the summer who made the drive on their own. That's a testament to who our athletes are as people and how they interact with the Fairfield community."