NEW LONDON, Conn. — Emma Halle (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) scored four times to claim Player of the Game laurels as visiting Washington & Jefferson College overcame an early 2-0 deficit to top Connecticut College, 9-4, in the fourth game of the 2024 CWPA Division III Championship hosted by the Camels at the Jane Cadwell Lott ’36 Natatorium.
A six-time (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) CWPA Division III Championship runner-up, W&J (7-10, 4-4 CWPA Division III) returns to the water for a semifinal at 2:30 p.m. Eastern/11:30 a.m. Pacific on Saturday, April 20, against the winner of a clash between Grove City College and Division III No. 5-ranked/defending CWPA Division III Champion/CWPA Division III regular season champion Augustana College.
A four-time (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) CWPA Division III Champion and one-time (2018) runner-up, Connecticut (7-7, 4-4 CWPA Division III) slips into the consolation side of the championship bracket as the Camels will face Wheaton College (Mass.) at 11:30 a.m. Eastern/8:30 a.m. Pacific.
Washington & Jefferson fell behind early as Emma Luna (So., Wahiawa, Hawaii/Punahou School) struck with 6:47 and 4:20 left in the first quarter to stake Connecticut to a quick 2-0 lead.
However, the Presidents used their executive powers to pull ahead prior to the conclusion of the opening eight minutes as Hallie Ratcliff (Fr., Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood) (3:46, man-up), Halle (2:31) and Sydney Neumann (Jr., Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) (00:00) went down to the buzzer to stake W&J to a 3-2 lead.
Washington & Jefferson continued to pull away in the second quarter as Halle put away chances at 6:22 and 3:00 to make the score 5-2. Luna responded with 34 seconds left in the first half, but Halle slipped in her fourth score of the contest with seven ticks left on the clock to double-up the Camels, 6-3.
Neumann (6:10) and Laura Anthony (Jr., Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) (4:09, man-up) inflicted the lone offense of the third quarter to push W&J out to an 8-3 lead heading into the final eight minutes of regulation time.
2023 CWPA Division III-East Region Most Valuable Player/Rookie of the Year Gigi Sandull (So., Kenilworth, N.J./Union County Vocational-Technical Schools) moved Connecticut back to within four (8-4) at the 7:48 mark of the fourth quarter courtesy a power-play strike, but the Washington & Jefferson defense stiffened until Ratcliff tossed in an insurance strike with 1:24 on the clock for the 9-4 final score.
Luna led the way for Connecticut with a hat-trick, while Sandull chipped in a solo tally.
Halle (four), Ratcliff (two) and Neumann (two) posted multi-goal games for the Presidents to accompany a single strike by Anthony.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| Washington & Jefferson College |
3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | 9 |
| Connecticut College | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | 4 |
| Connecticut Goals: | Emma Luna (3); Gigi Sandull | |||||
| W&J Goals: | Emma Halle (4); Hallie Ratcliff (2); Sydney Neumann (2); Laura Anthony | |||||
| Exclusions: | Connecticut – 4 ; W&J – 3 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Connecticut – 0-for-3 ; W&J – 2-for-4 | |||||
| Sprints: | Connecticut – 3-for-4 (1st, 2nd) ; W&J – 2-for-4 (3rd, 4th) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Joe Peila; Michael Francis | |||||
Washington & Jefferson College’s Sydney Neumann (#15) attempts to prevent a pass by Connecticut College’s Sarah Franco (#3)
Connecticut College’s Emma Luna (#9) rises to shoot as Washington & Jefferson College’s Rylee Mitchell (#3) closes
Connecticut College’s Sarah Franco (#3) defends Washington & Jefferson College’s Laura Anthony (#4)
