Two late goals – one at the end of regulation and one early in overtime – gave Franklin and Marshall a victory over Salisbury in the Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship game.

The Diplomats’ Cat Serpe tied the game with a minute to go in regulation, and just 2:20 into the overtime period, Blake Hargest found the net for the game-winner in an 11-10 thriller May 17 in Salem, Virginia.

The two teams traded goals early on, beginning with one from the Sea Gulls just 1:23 into the contest. That score held until Franklin and Marshall’s Sarah Meisenberg found the back of the net with the first score for the Diplomats, followed about five minutes later by Meredith Lussier’s goal that put Franklin and Marshall ahead, 2-1.

Salisbury’s Ashleigh Gender tied the game again, but Franklin and Marshall came right back with two more quick goals to make the score 4-2 for the Diplomats. But Salisbury finished the half strong, scoring three unanswered goals to close out the half, making the score 5-4 at the break.

Franklin and Marshall opened the second half with three goals in succession to regain the lead, 7-5, less than five minutes into the second half, but the Sea Gulls scored back-to-back goals to knot the game at seven. Franklin and Marshall’s Jen Pritchard gave her team the lead with two quick goals, but Salisbury came back to score three more times, giving the Sea Gulls a 10-9 advantage with just under five minutes to play.

Then freshman Serpe stepped in with her game-tying goal to send the game to overtime, and junior Hargest came through with the game-winner.

Franklin and Marshall President John Fry, who awarded diplomas to the eight seniors on the team about an hour after the Diplomats won their second national title in three years, congratulated the team on a game for the ages.

“I think when you have your 50th anniversary, you’ll be talking about this game. It was a great game,” Fry said. “I think it was the greatest Division III championship game in history.”

Semifinals

Hamilton                              6              7—13

Franklin & Marshall         12           4—16

F&M scoring: Blake Hargest 4, Meredith Lussier 3, Ashley Bevington 3, Jen Pritchard 2, Sarah Meisneberg, Lauren Ehrhardt, Shannon Summers, Cat Serpe.

Hamilton scoring: Liz Rave 5, Sarah Bray 4, Kaillie Briscoe 2, Audrey Nebergall, Libby Schultz.

Saves: Lidia Sanza (F&M) 7, Kate Fowler (Hamilton) 8.

Salisbury              4              7—11

Gettysburg         5              5—10

Salisbury scoring: Beth Rhodey 4, Robyn Bishop 3, Ashleigh Gender 2, Megan Osipowich, Logan Bilderback.

Gettysburg scoring: Lexie Hearn 3, Hollis Stahl 3, Jessica Crane 2, Hannah Church, Heidi Bitter.

Saves: Sonja Stuart (Salisbury) 6, Kristen Krammer (Gettysburg) 9.

Championship game

Franklin & Marshall         4              6              1—11

Salisbury                              5              5              0—10

F&M scoring: Jen Pritchard 4, Shannon Summers 2, Sarah Meisenberg 2, Blake Hargest, Meredith Lussier, Cat Serpe.

Salisbury scoring: Courtney Sorenson 3, Logan Bilderback 2, Ashleigh Gender 2, Meagan Osipowich 2, Aileen McCausland 1.

Saves: Lidia Sanza (F&M) 8, Sonja Stuart (Salisbury) 11.