The third time is indeed the charm.
Robert Morris, making its third straight appearance in the MAC women’s lacrosse championship game, finally broke through on Saturday to earn an automatic qualifier into the NCAA tournament.
Twice thwarted by Central Michigan in 2022 and 2023, the second-seeded Colonials got hat tricks from Isabella Teal and Colleen Tifft to down fourth-seeded Detroit Mercy 14-10 in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Sydney Riker made 11 saves.
Robert Morris (8-11) awaits the NCAA tournament Selection Show on Sunday evening to see who it will play next.
A back-and-forth first half made way for the turning point in the third quarter. Maddy Camm and Cat Kopchia scored consecutive goals for Detroit Mercy, tying the score at 6 with 2:38 left in the period. Camm and Kopchia both scored four times in the game.
Robert Morris responded with the run that effectively buried the Titans. Tifft and Samantha Brothers scored before the end of the quarter, putting the Colonials ahead 8-6. Then they opened the fourth quarter with three goals from three different players — Julia Koterwas, Eliana Lamange and Teal.
Up 11-6, Robert Morris didn’t face much pressure during the remainder of the game.
It was a bit of well-spirited revenge for Robert Morris, which lost to Detroit Mercy 12-9 on March 30.
