FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Top-seeded and #22 nationally-ranked Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse held Mount St. Mary's to just one goal over the final 33:21 of Friday's MAAC Semifinal matchup, racing past the visitors to a 14-6 triumph. Libby Rowe had three goals and three assists, breaking the program record with 82 career helpers, to pace the attack in the Stags' 16th consecutive win.
 
"I'm proud of our effort today. The Mount is talented and well coached; they had a solid game plan and made good adjustments. I think the way that our players responded to those adjustments is what allowed us to make a bit of a run," said Laura Field, the 2024 MAAC Coach of the Year. "Our defense and our midfield was outstanding against a very talented team, and our offense shared the ball and made plays that make us very tough to defend."
 
The Stags will enter the MAAC Championship Game riding the nation's longest winning streak at 16 games. The Mount – the only team to lead Fairfield in the fourth quarter of the streak when the squads met in Emmitsburg during the regular season – ends its season at 8-10.
 
Rowe's three assists bring her career total to 82, surpassing the 81 racked up by Brenna Connolly from 2015-18. Rowe also set the all-time games played record with her 76th appearance as a Stag today.
 
Rowe was one of the three Stags with a hat trick in the semifinal, joined by Maggie Fort and Rylee Harrell. Harrell also dished out an assist to cap a four-point day. Christine Fabrizi added two goals, with single tallies notched by Haley Burns, Sarah Bucher and Amanda Kozak.
 
MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Elizabeth Talluto put together a three-point afternoon without rattling the cage, as she dished out three assists. Kelly Haggerty handed out a pair of helpers to round out the scoring.
 
In the midfield, Brynn Donnelly hauled in 10 draw controls, boosting her single-season total to 109. She joined Erin Mammele as only the second Stag to ever crack 100 draw controls in a season. Rylee pulled down four draws and Rowe collected two as Fairfield gained an 18-9 advantage on the restart.
 
Fairfield, which entered the day ranked eighth in the nation in scoring defense with 8.31 goals allowed per game, improved that number today with only six goals conceded. Fabrizi, Lindsey Barnes and Julia Rigolizzo each had two caused turnovers for the Stags, with Barnes scooping up four ground balls. The Stags allowed only one goal in the run of play, with the Mount notching five of their six tallies from the eight-meter arc.
 
Mackenzi Furlong, Madison Harmening and Anna Salerno each scored twice for the Mount.
 
#22 Fairfield will play of its sixth consecutive MAAC Championship on Sunday at noon on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium against second-seeded Niagara. The Purple Eagles defeated third-seeded Siena, 9-8, in Friday's second semifinal.

The Stags defeated Niagara, 14-7, in Western New York in the MAAC opener for both teams on March 23.