Lancaster, Pa. – (4/28/2022) – With the Atlantic East Conference (AEC) season coming to a close with last night's (Apr. 27) finals, league commissioner Jessica Huntley has officially released the field for the 2022 AEC Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament. A 1-4 league standing secured Gwynedd Mercy University (8-9, 1-4) the #6 seed in the postseason playoff and therefore will visit #3 Neumann University (9-7, 2-3) for the quarterfinal round. The AEC quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday, April 30; the Griffins and Knights are set for a 1:00 p.m. opening draw. Meanwhile, as the #4 seed, Immaculata University (6-9, 2-3) will host #5 Marywood University (5-8, 1-4) for the other AEC quarterfinal (1:00 p.m.).
 
Gwynedd Mercy University got the better of Neumann University in their regular season meeting as senior attack Laura Pelczar (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored three of her team-high seven goals in a third quarter that saw the Griffins rally from a 8-6 halftime deficit to a 13-11 (0:07) advantage over Neumann University (6-6, 0-2). In the fourth quarter, Pelczar's seventh score, 14-11 (11:55) and unassisted scores from freshman attack Alysia Collins (Royersford, Pa.) (15-11, 9:32) and senior Meleah Hoats (Conyngham, Pa.) (16-13, 4:07) kept the Griffins out of harms' way in a 16-13 final.
 
Pelczar's performance was supported by five points (4 goals, assist) from senior attack Anna Grace Bernicker (Merion Station, Pa.), three points (2 goals, assist) from Hoats, and one apiece from Collins, senior defender Seydel Acuna (Philadelphia, Pa.) (8-8, 12:21 3QTR), freshman Cheyenne Avellino (Egg Harbor, N.J.) (6-6, 3:50 2QTR), and freshman attack Hailey Bloom (Margate City, N.J.) (Pelczar, 5-6, 9:00 2 QTR). Hoats added six ground balls and three caused turnovers to her points, while Bernicker's point came with a ground ball and four draw controls. Acuna and Avellino supported their scores with five draw controls apiece; the latter's was the first of her collegiate career. Junior goalkeeper Reilly Owens (Pottstown, Pa.) made 14 saves while recovering five ground balls and causing a turnover in the win (8-6).
 
The winners of the AEC Quarterfinals will advance to the Semifinal Round, which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 4 (TBA).