F&M Beats Tufts in OT, Highlighting NCAA D-III Women's Quarterfinal Results

In an NCAA quarterfinal round largey devoid of drama, Tufts and Franklin & Marshall had viewers on edge in the final game Sunday afternoon.

About 33 minutes into their Division III women’s quarterfinal bout, Tufts was comfortably ahead by six. Franklin & Marshall woke up scoring seven of the last eight goals in regulation, with Devyn Crone finishing a feed from Lauren Pittman with six seconds left to send the game to overtime.

After feeding the equalizer, Pittman finished the winner in the extra frame, sending F&M into the semifinals with an 11-10 win.

Tufts had taken control on the strength of a 6-0 second quarter, as a trio of Jumbos — Maggie Carden, Emma Joyce and Elsa Schutt — scored twice in the run. Allie Zorn then made it 9-3 just after halftime.

Franklin & Marshall scored the next four. After Joyce’s free position goal with 3:35 left in the third quarter extended Tufts’ lead to 10-7, F&M scored all three goals of the fourth quarter. Gillian Brennan made it 10-8, Lane Lambeth made it 10-9 and Crone equalized.

The Diplomats were a Final Four team in 2023 but fell 22-13 to Middlebury — which they will face on Friday in the Final Four yet again.

William Smith 14, Colby 6

Natalie Daniels continued her torrid weekend by depositing six goals with one assist and nine draw controls in a thorough win for the Herons. Maddie Montgomery and Molly Davis both produced hat tricks.

William Smith never trailed after Emily Griffin fed Davis with 11:58 left in the first for a 2-1 lead. The Herons had a 16-5 draw edge and 17-13 ground ball edge.

Middlebury 16, Pomona-Pitzer 1

The defending national champions are on fire, evidence by a 16-1 rout of Pomona-Pitzer in the quarterfinals. Pomona-Pitzer attempted just eight shots.

Susan Rowley had six goals, and Chloe Newman had three ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Salisbury 12, Washington and Lee 8

Washington and Lee had a three-goal lead early in the second quarter, but Salisbury scored 10 of the final 13 goals beginning with Erin Scannell’s tally with 11:01 left in the first half. Caroline Knight scored five times, Leah Vilov scored three, Camryn Pepper had four assists and Mary Hanzsche had two goals and three assists.

Kaitlyn Hunsinger made nine saves for Salisbury, which last appeared in the NCAA semifinals in 2021 — the same year the Sea Gulls won their last of four national titles.

NCAA DIVISION III
WOMEN’S SEMIFINALS

Both games on Friday, May 24. Times TBD.

Middlebury vs. Franklin & Marshall
William Smith vs. Salisbury