FARMINGDALE, NY – On Thursday night, the Maritime College women's lacrosse team upset top-seeded Merchant Marine to advance to the Skyline Conference Championship Game for the second consecutive season.  On Saturday afternoon, the fifth-seeded Privateers played second-seeded Farmingdale for the title.  Maritime (10-6) was unable to come away with the victory, however, as the Rams (11-8) clinched the Skyline's NCAA Tournament bid with a 13-10 win at Rams Field.

Maritime, which had never won a road playoff game prior to this season, qualified for the final by notching two road wins over Mount St. Mary and Merchant Marine three days apart.  The Privateers' third straight road game took place with a championship on the line at a venue where they won for the first time ever during the regular season, when they posted a thrilling 15-14 overtime victory against Farmingdale on April 9.

In Saturday's Championship Game, Farmingdale jumped out to a 3-1 cushion before Gabrielle Nicolosi (West Islip, NY) scored three goals in a 4:33 span to put Maritime in front, 4-3.  However, the Rams found the back of the net twice in the final 1:18 of the first quarter, and Molly Espey's tally with three seconds left in the period gave Farmingdale a 5-4 lead.  Jenna Lesiewicz (Wading River, NY) tied it early in the second quarter, but the Rams responded with four of the next five goals to open up a 9-6 halftime advantage.

After Farmingdale extended the margin to 12-6, Nicolosi put one home with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.  That goal sparked a 4-0 Maritime rally, as Lesiewicz brought the Privateers within two, 12-10, at the 2:49 mark.  However, Carly Livingston scored on a free position attempt with 1:35 left to once again put the Rams up by three, 13-10, and that would prove to be the final margin, as Farmingdale captured its fifth Skyline title.

Nicolosi finished with four goals and two assists.  Lesiewicz, meanwhile, had three goals to go along with four ground balls, three draw controls and two caused turnovers.  Tori Gay (Whiteford, MD) contributed two goals and two assists, and Morgan Tracy (Cambridge, MD) notched a goal and an assist.  Gia DiToma (North Syracuse, NY) tied for the team lead with four ground balls.  In addition to picking up two ground balls, Tori Koenig (Roxbury, NJ) (10-6) was credited with 10 saves.

For the Rams, Livingston tallied seven goals and added an assist.  Ashley Codispoti recorded a goal and an assist, while Emily Sohm distributed a pair of assists.  Sarah Fava and Alyssa Farrell paced Farmingdale with three ground balls apiece.  Espey, meanwhile, controlled eight draws.  Goalkeeper Giavanna Stamatelo (9-5) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after making 11 saves, including three key point-blank stops in the second half.

The Privateers had never reached the Skyline Championship Game prior to the 2023 season.  Maritime has now made back-to-back appearances.