LANCASTER, PA - Kelly Cassels (So., Downingtown, PA/Great Valley) scored three goals to the #12 Franklin & Marshall College women's lacrosse team to a 7-6 victory over Ursinus College at Williamson Field in Centennial Conference action.

The win marked Franklin & Marshall's third straight over Ursinus (6-4, 5-2 Centennial Conference) as the Diplomats improve to 7-26-1 all-time against the Bears.

Further, the win puts F&M one game closer to clinching a Centennial Conference playoff berth and the hosting rights for the tournament, as the Diplomats have to defeat Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore and Haverford to clinch the #1 seed.

The Diplomats tallied the winning margin to open the second half as Kiki Foster (Jr., Denver, CO/Kent Denver) finished a feed from Sloan Giampa (So., Cortlandt Manor, NY/Yorktown) at 25:46 to break a 4-4 halftime tie. The Diplomats added to the lead over two minutes later as Cassels split the Bears' defense for a goal at 23:34 before Giampa netted the game-winner at 12:36 for a 7-4 lead.

Ursinus fired back as Natalie Schroeter ripped a shot into the cage at 11:32 to pull the Bears to within two before Aubrey Andre tallied Ursinus' sixth goal at 1:32 to make the finish dramatic.

However, F&M goalie Kamissa Mort (Jr., Ashton, MD/Sandy Spring) made a point-blank save with 32 seconds remaining for the last of her seven saves in the game and defender Allison O'Meara (Sr., Millersville, MD/Severn School) cleared the ball with under 20 seconds left to play as the Diplomats held one for the one goal victory.

The first half was a battle of momentum as Ursinus struck first when Ashley Ettinger weaved a shot off an assist from Aubrey Andre through traffic for a 1-0 lead with 18:06 left in the half. Franklin & Marshall tied the game 36 seconds later as Alexis O'Meara (Sr., Millersville, MD/Severn School) angled a shot behind the right knee of Ursinus goalie Allyson Shicora at 17:30 for a 1-1 tie,

The goal marked the 158th of O'Meara's career at the College as she raised her career scoring total to 256 points (158 goals, 98 assists) as she tied Maria Gaydos '88 for third in scoring at Franklin & Marshall College.

The Bears retook the lead under a minute later as Ettinger bounded n a feed from Erikah Weir for a 2-1 Ursinus lead at 16:36. The margin grew to 3-1 as Schroeter went over the left shoulder of Mort with a shot off an assist from Weir with 13:31 left in the half,

Franklin & Marshall fired back 21 seconds later as Brenna Dolphin (So., Wilmington, DE/Archmere Academy) fired a crossing shot which tucked under the upper right corner of the cage for a 3-2 deficit before Cassels knotted the game at 3-3 with an unassisted goal at 10:23.

F&M took its first lead of the game at 6:55 as Dolphin dished a pass to Cassels who curved a shot inside the right post for a 4-3 lead.

However, Ursinus tied the game at the 3:30 mark as Schroeter fired a shot that went inside the left post for a 4-4 tie at halftime.

In goal, Mort recorded seven saves with six goals allowed on 15 shots to earn the win, while Schicora made 12 saves and allowed seven goals on 27 shots by the Diplomats in the loss.

Franklin & Marshall (7-2, 6-0 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on April 16 at Bryn Mawr College. Game time is set for 1:o0 p.m.

Score by Half 1-2 - Final
Ursinus (6-4, 5-2 CC) 4-2 - 6
#12 Franklin & Marshall (7-2, 6-0 CC) 4-3 - 7

Goals:
F&M - Kelly Cassels (3), Brenna Dolphin (1), Sloan Giampa (1), Kiki Foster (1), Alexis O'Meara (1)
Ursinus - Natalie Schroeter (3), Ashley Ettinger (2), Aubrey Andre (1)

Assists:
F&M - Sloan Giampa (1), Brenna Dolphin (1)
Ursinus - Erikah Weir (2), Aubrey Andre (1)

Goalies: F&M - Kamissa Mort (60 minutes, 7 saves, 6 GA)
Ursinus - Allyson Schicora (60 minutes, 12 saves, 7 GA)

Shots: F&M 27, Ursinus 15

Ground Balls: F&M 18, Ursinus 16