BERKELEY, Calif. Sophomore Lexi Sanders (Greenwood Village, Colo.) had a hat trick, but the No. 17 University of Denver women’s lacrosse team was upset 9-8 by No. 20 Stanford in the title game of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship on Saturday.

 

The Pioneers (13-6), who swept the MPSF regular season for the second-straight year, entered the tournament as the top seed for the third-consecutive season, but Denver fell to the third-seeded Cardinal (12-8) in the finals each time.

 

Stanford goalkeeper Laura Shane, who was named the MPSF Championship most valuable player, made 17 saves in the game while allowing just eight goals against a Denver team that averaged 14.4 goals per game, the eighth best total in the NCAA. When the teams met earlier this season, Shane made only four saves as the Pioneers beat the Cardinal 13-9 on April 20.

 

“Our players showed a lot of heart to come back like they did against a very good Stanford team, and Kelly O'Connell made some huge plays to get us back into the game,” head coach Liza Kelly said. “Give credit to Laura Shane because 17 saves is remarkable.”

 

Denver struck first when junior Megan Carver (Baltimore, Md.) buried a shot just 1:20 into the game.

 

After Stanford responded, Sanders put the Pioneers back in front, scoring on a free position shot with 19:28 remaining in the half.

 

However, the Cardinal scored four-straight goals with two each coming from Dana Lindsay and Sarah Flynn, as Stanford headed to halftime with a 5-2 lead.

 

Stanford extended its lead with two goals to start the second half before Sanders scored two goals to cut the deficit back to three.

 

Julie Christy gave the Cardinal an 8-4 lead with a goal at the 18:44 mark.

 

With just 7:22 remaining in the game, Denver began a comeback when junior Steph Coyne (Baltimore, Md.) scored on a pass from freshman Tulley Stapp (Denver, Colo.).

 

After Christy scored her third goal of the game, junior Karen Morton (Adelaide, Australia), Stapp and sophomore Ali Flury (Arnold, Md.) cut the deficit to one with 1:32 remaining.

 

The Pioneers had a final chance to tie the game on a free position shot with nine seconds remaining, but Shane stopped a shot by Morton.

 

Sanders, Morton and senior defender Kelly O'Connell (Baltimore, Md.) were all named to the All-MPSF Tournament team.

 

All-MPSF Tournament Team

Laura Shane, Stanford goalkeeper (MVP)

Megan McClain, Stanford midfielder

Katherine Fox, Stanford attacker

Dana Lindsay, Stanford attacker

Lexi Sanders, Denver midfielder

Karen Morton, Denver midfielder

Kelly O'Connell, Denver defender

Jenny Browne, Oregon midfielder

Alicia Burkhart, Oregon midfielder

Cristen Andrews, California midfielder

Katie McMahon, UC David midfielder

P.J. Hainley, Saint Mary’s midfielder

 

2008 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship bracket will be announced on CBS College Sports Tonight, airing on the CBS College Sports Network on May 5 at 5 p.m. MT. The bracket will also be posted on ncaa.com.