May 6, 2004

Box Score

DENVER - Sophomore midfielder Steph Greenlees (Lake Forest, Ill.) tallied six points (4g, 2a) and senior midfielder Patience Baldwin (Baltimore, Md.) notched four (3g, 1a), but it was not enough as the third seeded University of Denver women's lacrosse team fell to the second seeded California Golden Bears in the semifinals of the Inaugural Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers fall to 7-11, while the Golden Bears improve to 9-8.

Goals by Greenlees and junior defenseman Crystal Jack (Kingwood, Texas) gave Denver an early 2-1 lead with 22:38 remaining in the first half. California responded by scoring four the game's next five goals. Greenlees' second tally kept the Pioneers within shouting distance (5-3).

Denver used goals from Baldwin, junior attacker Tara Bourdelaise (Gambrillis, Md.) and Greenlees to pull as close as one (7-6) with 3:48 left in the half. The Golden Bears notched four goals in the half's final three minutes to take a commanding 11-6 halftime lead.

After a six-minute scoring drought Jack scored the second half's first goal. California's domination continued after that as the Golden Bears rolled off five-consecutive goals, essentially ending Denver's chances. With the score 16-7 the Pioneers began to rally.

Denver scored five goals in the game's final five minutes, but could not over come California's nine-goal lead. Baldwin (twice), Greenlees, Jack and freshman midfielder Kate Broderick's (Chantilly, Va.) all found the back of the cage in the waning minutes.

The Golden Bears were led by Leanne Zilioli and Colleen O'Mara who each tallied five points on four goals and an assist.

Junior goalie Steph Schneider (Leesburg, Va.) made 15 saves in the loss, while California's Hilary Lynch made eight. The Golden Bears outshot the Pioneers, 41-25.

The MPSF Championship concludes on Saturday when the Pioneers battle UC Davis in the consolation game at 11 a.m. Stanford and California will meet in the championship game 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Both games are at Pioneer Field.

Stanford defeated UC Davis, 17-3, in the day's first semifinal game. Stanford's Megan Burker led the scoring with three goals and two assists.

Stanford opened a 7-0 lead before Katie McMahon ended the Aggies' scoring drought with 10:04 remaining. The Cardinal responded with nine unanswered goals. Julia Calzonetti capped off the scoring for Stanford with 8:13 left in the second half. UC Davis' Kelly Albin and Jessie Donohue each fired a shot past the Cardinal's third goaltender Carly Posner in the final three minutes of play.