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CHESTERTOWN, MD --- Washington College goalie Rich Yost made 16 saves as the #5 ranked Shoremen defeated #8 Franklin & Marshall, 13-6, in the Centennial Conference semifinals. The Shoremen (11-2, 8-0 CC) will play five-time defending Conference champion Gettysburg Sunday in the Centennial Conference Championship game. Gettysburg defeated McDaniel, 9-8, in overtime in the other semifinal game. For Washington, Jon Spivey and Chris Edwards each finished with three goals as the Shoremen improved to 32-1 all-time against F&M. Historically, F&M has never won in Chestertown and holds a single victory over Washington from a 10-8 win in Lancaster during the 1995 season. The Shoremen took a 3-0 lead over the Diplomats as Spivey scored the first goal at the 1:36 mark on a rising shot from the left corner of the box which cleared the right shoulder of F&M goalie Mike Sartorius (So., Summit, NJ/Summit). Washington increased the lead to 3-0 as Edwards finished a pass from Ryan Morrison 4:52 into the game and Craig Earley converted a blast from 15-yards out 2:33 into the second period. The Diplomats answered with 9:50 left in the second period to make it 3-1 as Steve Welsh (So., Lewes, DE/Cape Henelopen) circled behind the net and found a waiting Bryan Nolan (Sr., Scottsdale, AZ/Western Reserve) in front of the crease who faked Yost high and shot slipped a shot between the goaltenders stick and helmet. Eighteen seconds later Washington responded as Michael Dyal put home a feed from Steve Berger to make it 4-1 before Spivey tallied an unassisted score with 8:32 until halftime to push the lead to 5-1. Franklin & Marshall received another scoring chance with 6:06 left as Edwards received a one-minute penalty for unnecessary roughness. One man-up, the Diplomats worked the ball into Welsh who circled behind the net and hit a streaking Bas Solleveld (Jr., Glenmoore, PA/Shipley) who faked Yost high and buried a shot past the junior goalie for a 5-2 game. However, the Shoremen closed out the half with three straight scores by Spivey, Edwards and Brent Renner to carry an 8-2 advantage into intermission. The Diplomats scored first in the third quarter as Jon Singer (Sr., Reisterstown, MD/Boys' Latin) fired in a goal at 14:14 to bring the Diplomats within five. However, following a one-minute cross-checking penalty to Ed Schellhorn (So., Wilton, CT/Wilton), the Shoremen converted on the extra-man opportunity as Topher Brewer corralled a pass from Berger for a score. Leading by six, Washington increased the lead to seven as Spivey fed Dyal at 12:18 for a 10-3 lead. The two teams exchanged goals in the waning moments of the third period as Nolan scored off a pass from Solleveld at 9:20, Washington midfielder Randy Vane scored at 6:35, Nolan scored off a pass from Colin Hanley (So., Davidsonville, MD/DeMatha) at 5:29, and Vane scored again at 1:46 to make the score, 12-5, in favor of the Shoremen at the end of the third. Solleveld scored F&M's final goal with 10:14 remaining in the fourth and Edwards ended the scoring for the Shoremen with a goal off a Renner assist with 5:40 left in the game. Nolan led the Diplomats with three goals, while Solleveld added two goals and one assist. Between the pipes, Sartorius made 21 saves for the Diplomats on 39 Washington shots. In the second game, Gettysburg's John O'Bannon scored a career-high six goals, including the game-winner with 1:09 remaining in overtime off an assist from Evan Gallant, and added one assist as the #12 Bullets survived against #10 McDaniel. The Bullets (11-4, 6-2 CC) scored two goals in the final 1:22 of regulation to force the extra period. Joe Ellis, who scored four goals and had one assist in the loss, led McDaniel (10-3, 6-2 CC). The Shoremen will host Gettysburg in the championship game Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Franklin & Marshall will now await word from the NCAA Division III Selection Committee regarding a possible at-large berth to the Championship Tournament. If the team fails to earn a NCAA bid, F&M may be selected to the ECAC Tournament as the Diplomats could look to defend their 2002 ECAC South Region title. In 2002, the Diplomats were the only Centennial Conference team to earn a post-season tournament victory following the Centennial Conference Tournament courtesy an 18-3 rout of the University of Scranton at home on Williamson Field. BOX SCORE
Franklin & Marshall (11-3, 6-2 CC) 0-2-3-1---6
Washington (11-2, 8-0 CC) 2-6-4-1----13 Goals
F&M - Bryan Nolan (3), Bas Solleveld (2), Jon Singer
WC- Jon Spivey (3), Chris Edwards (3), Michael Dyal (2), Randy Vane (2), Craig Earley, Topher Brewer, Brent Renner Assists
WC - Steve Berger (2), Jon Spivey, Michael Dyal, Ryan Morrison
F&M - Steve Welsh (2), Bas Solleveld, Colin Hanley Goalie (Saves/Shots/Goals Allowed/Minutes)
Washington - Richard Yost (16/35/6/58:30), Kevin Thibadeau (1/1/0/1:30)
F&M - Mike Sartorius (21/39/13/60:00) Shots - WC 39, F&M 36. Ground Balls - WC 32, F&M 36 Face-Offs - F&M 12, WC 10
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