Box Score
KEENE, N.H. – Too often this year, the Eastern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team would jump to an early lead, only to watch the advantage evaporate and often result in a close loss.

Such was not the case in Tuesday's 15-9 victory over fourth-seeded Keene State College (11-7) in the opening round of the Little East Conference playoffs that vaults the fifth-seeded Warriors into Thursday's semifinals against top-seeded and defending playoff champion Plymouth State University (14-2, 8-0 LEC, 7-0 at home), which enjoyed a first-round bye after winning all eight of its LEC regular-season contests en route to the No. 1 seed.

Three weeks ago at Keene State, the Warriors led 4-0 after 11 minutes, only to falter early in the second half when they allowed five straight Owls' goals in a 15-11 loss – Eastern's tenth straight in the series which dates back to 1998.

Tuesday, it was déjà vu all over again in the opening minutes when the Warriors raced to a 7-1 lead after 17 minutes. This time, however, Eastern maintained its intensity, pushing the lead to seven (9-2) by halftime and never allowing the hosts to score as many as three goals in a row as the Warriors stopped a four-game LEC playoff losing skid at the hands of Keene, re-gaining the all-time series lead with 20 wins against 19 losses in the process.

The LEC playoff road victory is the first for Eastern since it won three contests away from home – also as the No. 5 seed -- en route to its most recent title in 2013. The other semifinal match Thursday at 7 p.m. features second-seeded host Western Connecticut State University facing third-seeded University of Southern Maine. The Huskies advanced Tuesday with a 17-7 decision over No. 6 seed University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

The championship game will be staged Saturday at the site of the highest remaining seed. As the No. 5 seed, Eastern would play on the road in the final if it advances past Plymouth.

In a physical match between the rivals which featured 17 cards (11 of them two-minute yellow cards), there were seven extra-man goals (four by Eastern) and one man-down goal (by Eastern).
Eastern's final three goals over the last 12 minutes all came with the man-advantage: senior Abby Parisi (Fairfield) converting an extra-man goal to make it 13-6 and graduate transfer Avonlea LeBeau (North Branford) following with a man-up free-position goal and an unassisted man-up goal three minutes apart that sealed the victory with 94 seconds left.

Eastern's defense equalled its season-high by forcing 29 turnovers (thanks in large part to 13 caused turnovers divided among eight players). Eighteen of the Owls' turnovers came in the first half and helped Eastern take a 9-2 lead into the break.

LeBeau reached double-figures in draw controls for the second time this year, with ten – her highest total in more than a month – and gave her the program season record, with 94.

LeBeau led a balanced scoring attack with four goals and an assist, with season goal leader Alexa Vizzini (Vernon, NJ) adding four points on three goals and an assist to move her to within four of 200 career points. Graduate midfielder Kaylee Drobish (Wallingford) added two goals and two assists. Junior attack Sydney Goyette's (Westfield, MA) two goals left her four points shy of 100.

First-year goalie Maizie Rukat (Manchester, VT) and senior Emma Alford (West Hartford) combined in net, Rukat departing with nine minutes left in the third quarter and her team ahead, 11-5.

Plymouth inflicted the Warriors with their only home loss in eight contests this year, winning, 21-14, ten days ago in a game which was virtually even in shots. In 2024, the Warriors pinned a 14-10 home loss on the Panthers to snap a seven-game losing streak at the hands of Plymouth, which has won the last four against Eastern at Panther Field.