BOSTON - Paced by a nine-goal effort from fifth-year senior attacker Emma Vinall, the American University lacrosse team secured its first Patriot League Tournament berth since 2013 on Saturday with a 16-12 win over Boston University.

The sixth-seeded Eagles will open postseason play on Sunday with a noon draw at No. 3 Navy in the PL Tournament quarterfinal round. The winner will advance into the semifinal and play at either No. 1 Loyola Maryland, or No. 2 Army West Point.

BY THE NUMBERS

• With an overall record of 9-8, including 4-5 in conference play, second-year head coach Lindsay Teeters and the Eagles closed the 2022 regular-season with the winningest record since 2007 (9-9), and are only two wins shy of tying with the 2003 Patriot League Championship team. 
• Fifth-year senior Emma Vinall had her way, tying her career-high and program record with nine goals and setting a new career-high with 11 points. She fell only one point shy of tying Casey Harkins' ('21) single-game program record in points.
• Freshman Becca Frank followed with three goals to tie her career-high while classmate Maddy Spratt also picked up three points off a goal and two assists.
• Fifth-year Kendall Goldblum, senior Stefanie Walsh, and sophomore Lizzie de Guzman added two points each (1g, 1a) followed by an assist from senior Katie Pierce.
• Vinall also led with four ground balls and six draw controls.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Mary Alice Collins was back in double-figures with 10 saves on the day.
• The Terriers were led by a three-goal effort from Matty Spaeth, and two goals and two assists from Lauren Kaye.
• Jennifer Barry led BU with a game-high eight draw controls while goalkeeper Kennady Smith led the team from the cage with nine saves.
• The Eagles led in shots, 37-30 and ground balls, 17-13, but the Terriers held the edge in draw controls, 16-15, and caused turnovers, 7-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Vinal and Spratt gave AU an early 2-0 lead off back-to-back goals in the opening three minutes, but a series of missed draws put the Terriers in control as they hit a 6-1 run through the first quarter with only de Guzman having a response for the Eagles with a player-up goal off a pass from Vinall.
• Vinall cut BU's lead back down to two to start the second quarter, but the Terriers posted two more unanswered goals to take their largest lead of the day at 8-4 with three minutes left in the half.
• American had a productive final two minutes of play in the stanza, with Frank finding the back of the net for her first goal of the game followed by two more from Vinall to go into halftime trailing by one at 8-7.
• Vinall and BU's Spaeth traded goals to open the second half before back-to-back goals from Frank and Goldblum gave AU its first lead since the opening minutes of the game at 10-9.
• The Terriers tied it back up twice, but well-timed goals from Vinall and Walsh held them at bay.
• AU closed with a dominant final 10 minutes as Vinall scored three more and Frank added one more to clinch the 16-12 win.

UP NEXT
It will be a quick turnaround for American as the Eagles head to Annapolis on Sunday for a noon start against three-seed Navy in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal.

For the latest on American University Lacrosse, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Lacrosse) and Instagram (@au_wlax).