CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- With a 19-5 victory over Binghamton at Nickerson Field Saturday afternoon, Boston University moved to 5-0 in conference play and earned the top seed in the America East Women's Lacrosse Championship to be held April 30-May 2. With the No. 1 seed comes the right to host the tournament, which will be held in Boston for the second straight season.
Boston University, the preseason favorite to win the 2009 America East Championship, got off to an early 9-0 lead over the Bearcats, including five goals during that stretch from junior Traci Landy. Landy finished with a career-high six goals. Senior Sarah Dalton, the nation's leader in goals and points, finished with four goals and an assist, including a hat trick in the opening half. McKinley Curro also recorded six points in the game on three goals and three assists. Meg Brown led Binghamton with a pair of scores.
Also around the league, Albany and New Hampshire both clinched spots in the tournament with America East victories. The Great Danes defeated Stony Brook, 19-9, behind an eight-point effort (5 g, 3 a) by sophomore Jodi Battaglia. Senior Ashley Durepo propeled the Wildcats to a 17-4 win over Vermont on Senior Day in Durham. Durepo notched five goals as part of a six-point performance.
UMBC, which recorded a 17-7 non-conference win over Le Moyne on Saturday, and Vermont will fight over the fourth and final seed for the America East Championship entering the final week of the regular season. The Retrievers face Boston U. next Saturday, while the Catamounts play Stony Brook at home in their final league game next weekend. If UMBC and Vermont end the season tied each with a 3-3 America East record, the Catamounts will have the edge with a win over the Retrievers earlier this season.