FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - Led by tournament MVP Rachel Erickson (Dunstable, Mass.), second seeded Framingham State University defeated #4 seed Bridgewater State University, 18-10, in the championship game of the 2022 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Lacrosse Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Maple Street Field.

The Rams improve to 11-7 on the season and advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in program history. Framingham will await word on the NCAA Tournament pairings which are scheduled to be announced on Monday morning at 10:30 on NCAA.com. The Bears end the 2022 campaign with an overall record of 10-9. Framingham has won each of the last six meetings of the two teams.

Bridgewater jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on back-to-back goals from senior attack Katherine Tracy (Marion, Mass.). The Rams got on the board on a strike from sophomore attack Hannah Guerin (Cumberland, R.I.) with 11:56 on the clock, but the Bears received back-to-back goals from senior midfielders Delaney Langton (Scituate, R.I.) and Hayley Carron (Hopedale, Mass.) to pull ahead 4-1 with just over seven minutes showing on the scoreboard. Framingham closed the first quarter with a 5-1 run and led 6-5 after one. Erickson and senior attack Tara Palermo (Mashpee, Mass.) each scored twice, and freshman midfielder Kate Simpson (Littleton, Mass.) found the back of the net with just four seconds left on the clock giving the Rams their first lead.

In the second quarter, the two teams traded goals and the game was tied 7-7 with just under four on the clock. Framingham closed the half with goals from junior attack Madison Skiff (Granby, Conn.) and freshman attack Leah Green (Chelmsford, Mass.) to take a 9-7 advantage into the break.

The Rams opened the third quarter scoring six straight goals to take a commanding 13-7 lead with just under 12 minutes to play in the period. Guerin struck twice during the spurt. Bridgewater State closed the gap to four, 14-10, on goal from Carron with 3:29 on the clock in the third. That was as close as the Bears would get as the hosts scored the final four goals of the game.

Erickson paced Framingh with four goals and an assist, while Simpson also checked in with four goals and a helper. Palermo added three goals and a pair of assists, while Green and Guerin each contributed hat tricks for the hosts. Sophomore midfielder Regan Fein (North Attleboro, Mass.) dished out a game-high three assists.

Tracy potted three goals to lead the way for Bridgewater State. Carron scored twice and sophomore attack Savannah Herrington (Kinnelon, N.J.) chipped in with two goals and an assist. Graduate midfielder Kelsi Brennan (Dedham, Mass.) finished with two helpers to go along with three ground balls, four draw controls and three caused turnovers.

The Rams held a 29-23 shot advantage for the game as well as a decided 23-8 edge in draw controls.

Junior netminder Alexis Burleigh (Vernon, Conn.) earned the win in between the pipes for the Rams making five saves, while junior goalkeeper Olivia Kerrigan (Braintree, Mass.) turned aside seven shots for the Bears.