LANCASTER, PA - Brenna Dolphin (So., Wilmington, DE/Archmere Academy) scored five goals on five shots and added an assist, while Kelly Cassels (So., Downingtown, PA/Great Valley) chipped in three goals and two assists and Alexis O'Meara (Sr., Millersville, MD/Severn School) added four goals and an assist as the #9 ranked Franklin & Marshall College women's lacrosse team defeated Rowan University 19-10 at Williamson Field in the regular season finale.

The win improves the Diplomats to 11-2 on the season, 9-0 in Centennial Conference play, as Franklin & Marshall's record marks the best regular season winning percentage (.846) in school history.

F&M jumped on the scoreboard less than 10 minutes into the game as Kiki Foster (Jr., Denver, CO/Kent Denver) finished a pass from Cassels for a 1-0 lead at the 20:06 mark. Less than a minute later, Foster scored again as she whipped a pass from Allison O'Meara (Sr., Millersville, MD/Severn School) into the twine for a 2-0 lead with 19:06 left in the half.

The Profs answered back as Liz McGouch scored an unassisted goal at 13:42 and assisted on a score by Katie Loomis at 11:47 to knot the game at 2-2 before Dolphin started a 10-0 run for Franklin & Marshall with an unassisted goal at 7:57 for a 3-2 lead,

Sloan Giampa (So., Cortlandt Manor, NY/Yorktown) expanded the lead eight seconds later as won collected the ensuing draw and went the distance unimpeded for a goal at 7:49 and a 4-2 margin.

Cassels scored the next two goals finishing a pass from Catherine Onnen (Fr., Lutherville, MD/St. Paul's School for Girls) at 6:10 and netting an unassisted goal at 5:38. Alexis O'Meara and Giampa added unassisted goals at 4:43 and 4:25, respectively, before Foster put in a centering pass from Onnen at 2:49. Alexis O'Meara closed out the run at :54 with a score off an assist from Dolphin for a 12-2 lead.

Rowan cut the lead to nine goals prior to halftime as McGough split the defense for an unassisted goal with 10 seconds left in the half for a 12-3 deficit at the break.

The Profs attempted to rally to open the second half as Caitlin Meseroll scored on a pass from Maggie Goodman at 29:39. However, Dolphin scored back-to-back unassisted goals at 27:53 and 25:36 to push the lead to 14-4 before Alexis O'Meara fed Cassels for a goal at 23:13.

McGough answered for Rowan with a goal at 21:07, but Dolphin and Alexis O'Meara scored to put the score at 17-5 with 17 minutes to play.

Rowan trimmed the lead back to 10 goals as Shana Smeriglio and Katie Kline scored unassisted goals at 13:36 and 11:44, but Allison O'Meara scored on a free position shot at 10:11 and Giampa flipped a shot into the goal for the Diplomats' final score and a 19-7 lead with 6:13 left on the clock.

Rowan closed out the game as McGough scored on a free position shot and off an assist from Christina Ivy at 4:43 and 1:24, respectively, and Kline scored on a free position shot with 14 seconds left in the game for the 19-10 final.

In goal, Kamissa Mort (Jr., Ashton, MD/Sandy Spring) made one save and allowed three goals in the first half to earn the win, while Kim Pleasants (So., Upper Darby, PA/Upper Darby) made seven saves and allowed seven goals in the second half. For Rowan, Katherine Rowland stopped 13 of the Diplomats' 38 shots and allowed 19 goals to take the loss.

Franklin & Marshall (11-2, 9-0 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on April 30-May 1 as the Diplomats will host the 2005 Centennial Conference Championship Tournament.

Franklin & Marshall will take to the field at 1:00 p.m. on April 30 in the semifinals versus the winner of an April 27 first-round game between #5 seed McDaniel College and #4 Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Fifty-minutes following the Diplomats game, #2 seed Gettysburg College will face #3 Ursinus College at Williamson.

On May 1, the semifinal winners will square off at Williamson Field at 1:00 p.m. for the 2005 Centennial Conference title. This year, F&M defeated Gettysburg 8-7 in Lancaster on March 30, managed McDaniel 11-7 in Lancaster on April 6, downed Dickinson 12-5 in Carlisle on April 12 and upended Ursinus 7-6 on April 14 in Lancaster.

Score by Half 1-2 - Final
Rowan (6-8) 3-7 - 10
#9 Franklin & Marshall (11-2, 9-0 CC) 12-7 - 19

Goals:
F&M - Brenna Dolphin (5), Alexis O'Meara (4), Kelly Cassels (3), Kiki Foster (3), Sloan Giampa (3), Allison O'Meara (1)
Rowan - Liz McGough (5), Katie Kline (2), Shana Smeriglio (1), Caitlin Meseroll (1), Katie Loomis (1)

Assists:
F&M - Kelly Cassels (2), Catherine Onnen (2), Brenna Dolphin (1), Alexis O'Meara (1)
Rowan - Maggie Goodman (1), Christina Ivy (1), Liz McGough (1)

Goalies: F&M - Kamissa Mort (30 minutes, 1 save, 3 GA);
Kim Pleasants (30 minutes, 7 saves, 7 GA)
Rowan - Katherine Rowland (60 minutes, 13 saves, 19 GA)

Shots: F&M 38, Rowan 19

Ground Balls: F&M 21, Rowan 15