This year, Towson will have to watch

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Last season the Towson University women’s lacrosse team won its first Colonial Athletic Assocation tournament and advanced to the NCAA field, where they lost to Georgetown.

When the 2006 bracket is announced at 8 p.m. Monday, the Tigers will not be included.

Towson lost 9-8 to host and nationally-ranked James Madison on Friday in the semifinals of the CAA tournament. The Tigers trailed, 4-0, but nearly tied the game in the closing minutes.

“She put in all the seniors at the end,” said Towson senior Becky Trumbo (Eldersburg), explaining the team’s comeback after head coach Missy Holmes went with veterans down the stretch.

There were a lot of teary eyes on the Towson bench after the game.

“Towson is a great fighting team. They have so much heart,” JMU junior Kelly Berger (Hammond High) said. “Everyone knew how much of a fight it would be.”

Berger, a midfielder from Columbia, had four goals and two assists in the win over Towson (7-10). She was the CAA player of the year this season.

Said JMU head coach Kellie Young: “We knew they were coming in with nothing to lose. We certainly weren’t underrating them.” JMU was the No. 1 seed in the field, and Towson was No. 4

While Towson will miss out on the 16-team NCAA field, Berger and JMU will be included. The Dukes received an automatic bid, with a 14-8 win over No. 2 seed-Hofstra in the CAA title contest Sunday at JMU.

Berger had six goals and one assist Sunday, with five goals in the second half. She was named the most outstanding player in the CAA tourney.

Towson, on Friday, scored with 2:52 to go to make it 9-7, JMU. The Tigers scored again with 2:09 left to pull within one, but JMU was able to control the ball most of the last two minutes.

Young said that many coaches would like to see the NCAA tournament expanded from 16 teams.

“We don’t have a final say,” she said, and added that money was the main reason the field has remained at 16 teams since 2001.

LOCAL PRIDE

» The Hofstra Pride, which lost to Towson in the 2005 CAA tourney final, has a roster that includes these local players: Lauren Eberling (Maryvale Prep), Sandy Wasserbach (Catonsville High), Kendall Gray (Roland Park), Kelly McGrath (Seton-Keough), Jen Bach (Catonsville), Cat Thoreson (Centennial), Meghan Turnbaugh (Hereford) and Kara Meekins (North Carroll).

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