Six Women's Lacrosse Players Honored By The Northeast Conference

EMMITSBURG, Md. – Meaghan Conlon (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) highlights six Mount St. Mary's women's lacrosse players honored by the Northeast Conference (NEC) with an All-NEC first-team selection, announced on Thursday.

Jen Semler (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall), Esther Rufolo (Woodstock, Md./Chapelgate Christian Academy), Lindsay Diaz (Timonium, Md./Dulaney) and Gabe Little (Hampstead, Md./North Carroll) were named to the All-NEC second team. Freshman Erin Seipp (Towson, Md./Notre Dame Preparatory) was selected to the NEC All-Rookie team.

Conlon, a 5-3 senior defender, earned her first all-conference honor after being a stalwart in the Mountaineer defense this season. The senior had a career year with 23 caused turnovers, 46 caused turnovers and 24 ground balls. She tied Little for the team- lead in caused turnovers and ranked second in draw controls and fourth in ground balls. Her 46 draw controls this season are the 10th most on the program's single-season chart while she has 99 career draws to rank 10th in program history. Conlon, who has three goals this season, caused the miscue that set up the Mount's game-winning goal at the buzzer in an 8-7 overtime win against Central Connecticut State on Apr. 7.

Semler, a 5-6 senior attacker, notches her second all-conference recognition with her second-team nod in 2012 after garnering first-team honors last season.  The senior ranks second on the team with 19 goals and 10 assists for 29 points. She has posted 10 goals in her last four games. Semler recorded a hat trick against the Blue Devils, including the game-winner and tallied four tallies and two assists in a 19-9 win against LIU Brooklyn on Apr. 13. For her career, the senior has 65 goals and 27 assists for 92 points.

Rufolo, a 5-4 senior midfielder, recorded her second All-NEC second-team selection after being named to the second team as a sophomore and to the first team in her junior campaign. She ranks fourth on the team with 20 goals and three assists for 23 points. Rufolo has posted 19 of her 20 goals in her last 12 games, including a season-high five tallies against the Blackbirds and four multi-goal performances in that stretch. In addition, the senior ranks third on the team with 34 draw controls. For her career, Rufolo has 85 goals and 16 assists for 101 points. She needs one goal to join the Top-10 in program history and became the 18th player in program history to reach 100 points. The senior has the second-most draw controls in team history with 154 draws.

Diaz, a 5-8 sophomore midfielder, recorded her first all-conference honor with her second-team selection. The sophomore fuels the team with 57 draw controls while ranking third with 26 ground balls and third with 16 caused turnovers. The 57 draw controls are the second most on the program's single-season chart. On the offensive end, the sophomore registered 17 goals after notching a career-high four goals in an 11-6 victory against Sacred Heart on Apr. 1 and three two-goal performances. For her career, Diaz has 23 goals and two assists for 25 points along with 51 ground balls, 66 draw controls and 30 caused turnovers.

Little, a 5-8 sophomore defender, nabs her first conference honor with her second-team recognition. Along with Conlon, Little was the anchor of the Mount defense after pacing the team with 23 caused miscues and 31 ground balls. The sophomore posted five ground balls and four caused turnovers in a 13-10 win against Longwood on Mar. 12. She also grabbed a career-best four caused miscues in an 8-6 victory against Wagner on Apr. 15 and was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Apr. 9-15 after registering six ground balls and five caused turnovers in a pair of wins. Little has 60 ground balls and 40 caused turnovers in her career.

Seipp, a 5-6 freshman midfielder, earned a selection to the NEC All-Rookie team. Seipp ranks second on the squad with 21 goals and eight assists for 29 points. The freshman posted six multi-goal performances, including a career-high four goals and one assist in a 12-10 loss against Quinnipiac on Mar. 30. She also registered three goals and two assists in a 12-8 victory against Robert Morris on Mar. 23 and had a hat trick in a 13-10 win against Saint Francis (Pa.) on Mar. 25.

Former Mount St. Mary's women's lacrosse standout Kelly Nangle was named the NEC Coach of the Year. Nangle, who is in her first season at Central Connecticut State, played for the Mount from 2002-06 and was a member of the Mountaineers 2004 and 2005 regular season and tournament title teams. Quinnipiac's Marissa Caroleo (Player of the Year), Devon Gibney (Defensive Player of the Year) and Kyra Ochwat (Rookie of the Year) and Central Connecticut State's Erin DeLancey (Goalkeeper of the Year) took home the major awards.

Mount St. Mary's (7-10, 6-3 NEC) is making its 10th-straight NEC Tournament appearance and 14th in the last 15 years. The Mount will play top-seed and host Sacred Heart on Friday in the NEC Semifinals. Match time is 1 p.m.