LANCASTER, PA - Get ready for Centennial Conference title match number three as the #9 ranked Franklin & Marshall College Diplomats managed McDaniel College 17-6 and #7 Gettysburg College survived Ursinus College 11-6 to set up the third straight meeting between the Diplomats and Bullets in the Centennial Conference women's lacrosse title game.

Unlike the previous two meetings, however, the Diplomats are the #1 seed and Gettysburg is the #2, as the meeting will occur on May 1 at 1:00 p.m. at F&M's Williamson Field.

Against #5 seed McDaniel, the #1 seed Diplomats overcame a slow start to overpower the Green Terror taking a 6-2 lead into halftime before outscoring McDaniel 11-4 in the final 30 minutes of play for an 11-goal victory.

For the Diplomats, Kelly Cassels (So., Downingtown, PA/Great Valley) led the way with four goals, while Sloan Giampa (So., Cortlandt Manor, NY/Yorktown) and Brenna Dolphin (So., Wilmington, DE/Archmere Academy) added hat tricks in the win.

The Diplomats opened the scoring 1:57 into the first half as Kiki Foster (Jr., Denver, CO/Kent Denver) netted an unassisted goal for a 1-0 lead. McDaniel responded at 27:22 as Tara Smith scored an unassisted goal to tie the game, before Cassels connected on a free-position shot at 23:44 to put the Diplomats back in front at 2-1.

The Green Terror again tied the score as Megan Mattson tallied an unassisted goal at 22:04, but the score ignited F&M's offense as the Diplomats scored the final four goals of the half and seven straight to take a 6-2 lead into halftime and a 9-2 lead with 24:06 left in the second half.

Dolphin started the Diplomats' scoring streak as she beat McDaniel goalie Lindsay O'Steen with a shot for a 7-2 lead at the 19:20 mark. Eileen Keever (Jr., Prospect Park, PA/Interboro) added to the lead at 15:33 with a free-position goal before Alexis O'Meara (Sr., Millersville, MD/Severn School) finished a feed from Catherine Onnen (Fr., Lutherville, MD/St. Pauls School for Girls) at 2:29 for a 5-2 lead.

Dolphin closed out the half with an unassisted score with 32 seconds left on the clock as F&M carried a four-goal advantage into intermission.

In the second half, the Diplomats continued their roll as Cassels finished a pass from O'Meara at 28:19 to push the lead to five goals.

Dolphin added another unassisted goal at 26:52 and Foster converted on an assist from O'Meara at 26:12 for a 9-2 lead.

O'Meara's assist was the 105th of her career as she tied Lauren Paul '03 for the school record in the scoring category and moved into second place in points at the College as she raised her career totals to 171 goals and 105 assists for 276 points, two points more than third place Tami Videon '96.

McDaniel's Smith broke up the Diplomats' scoring streak with a goal on a free position shot at 24:05 to pull the Green Terror to within six goals.

However, O'Meara responded with a goal off a feed from Foster at 16:53 to spark a 3-0 run by the Diplomats as Giampa netted an unassisted goal at 13:42 and Cassels converted on a free position opportunity at 12:56 for a 12-3 lead.

Smith again responded for the Terror as she scored an unassisted goal at 12:20, but Onnen fired a pass from Giampa into the twine at 11:15 and Giampa scored an unassisted goal at 10:47 to put the Diplomats in front 14-4.

McDaniel attempted to rally as Smith scored at 9:46 and Caitlin Schellhorn found the back of the cage at 6:52 to put the Terror within eight goals of tying the Diplomats.

Franklin & Marshall finished off the game with three unassisted goals in the final five minutes as Allison O'Meara (Sr., Millersville, MD/Severn School), Giampa and Cassels scored at 4:33, 2:14 and 1:47, respectively, for the 17=6 final.

In goal, Kamissa Mort (Jr., Ashton, MD/Sandy Spring) made eight saves and allowed six goals in 60 minutes to earn the win. For McDaniel, O'Steen allowed 15 goals and made nine saves in 55:37 to take the loss, while Megan Millhausen stopped one shot and allowed two goals in 4:23.

In the other semifinal game, #2 seed Gettysburg used four goals and one assist from Kathy Delauney to overcome a late scare from Ursinus and hold on for an 11-6 win to advance to the Bullets' fifth straight title game.

Leading 5-1 at halftime, the Bullets saw their lead cut to 9-6 with 8:34 left in the second half as Ursinus' Erikah Weir finished a pass from Ashley Ettinger for a score.

Gettysburg finished the game with a pair of goals as Cassidy Zappacosta fed Delauney for a score at 3:44 and tallied an unassisted goal at 1:57 for the 11-6 final.

Historically, Gettysburg has won the last three CC titles, has appeared in all four previous CC tournament title games and has won four of the last five CC crowns.

However, since the Centennial Conference went to a postseason tournament to decide its champion in 2001, the #1 seed has lost once in the title game as Gettysburg defeated Ursinus 10-7 in 2002. In the other three title tilts, the #1 seed has won the CC crown as Ursinus upended Gettysburg 11-7 in Collegeville in 2001 and the Bullets defeated Franklin & Marshall in Gettysburg 8-6 in 2003 and 14-8 in 2004.

The title game will mark the second meeting between the Diplomats and Bullets in Lancaster this year as Franklin & Marshall defeated Gettysburg 8-7 on March 30 at Williamson Field and has won eight straight CC games at home since a loss to Washington College on April 10, 2004.

The tournament's champion will earn the CC's automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Division III tournament, slated to begin on Wednesday, May 11.

The NCAA field will be announced on Sunday, May 8.

Admission to the title game is free.

Score by Half 1-2 - Final
McDaniel (11-5, 5-4 CC) 2-4 - 6
#9 Franklin & Marshall (12-2, 9-0 CC) 6-11 - 17

Goals:
F&M - Kelly Cassels (4), Sloan Giampa (3), Brenna Dolphin (3), Alexis O'Meara (2), Kiki Foster (2), Catherine Onnen (1), Allison O'Meara (1), Eileen Keever (1)
McDaniel - Tara Smith (4), Megan Mattson (1), Caitlin Schellhorn (1)

Assists:
F&M - Alexis O'Meara (2), Kiki Foster (1), Sloan Giampa (1), Catherine Onnen (1)
McDaniel - Kristin Ramsey (1)

Goalies: F&M - Kamissa Mort (60 minutes, 8 saves, 6 GA)
McDaniel - Lindsay O'Steen (55:37 minutes, 19 saves, 15 GA);
Megan Millhausen (4:23, 1 save, 2 GA)

Shots: F&M 29, McDaniel 18

Ground Balls: F&M 22, McDaniel 19