HARTFORD, Conn. – The No. 10-ranked Trinity College Women's Lacrosse team will host Franklin & Marshall Women's Lacrosse in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Robin L. Sheppard Field. The Diplomats advanced to the second round with a commanding 21-4 win over Neumann University in the opening round.
Trinity enters the contest with a 12-5 overall record, including an 8-4 mark in NESCAC play and a perfect 8-0 record at home. The Bantams finished ninth in the NCAA Power Index (NPI) and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season.
Franklin & Marshall captured the Centennial Conference Championship for the fourth straight season to secure an automatic bid into the tournament. The Diplomats improved to 11-8 overall after their first-round victory over Neumann.
Players to Watch
Trinity placed four student-athletes on the All-NESCAC teams, including First Team selections Samantha Hark and Grace Denious, while Emily Ambrozy and Kelsey Restivo earned Second Team honors. The Bantam offense has featured balanced scoring throughout the season, with Denious, Restivo, Alex Lesko, and Kaeley Zito all recording 20 or more goals. In her senior campaign, Denious has totaled 29 goals, 22 assists, and 30 draw controls.
Defensively, Trinity has been anchored by goalkeeper Ali MacDougall, who owns a 12-5 record with 113 saves this season. The Bantam defense is led by Hark, who has recorded a season- and career-high 51 caused turnovers, averaging three per game. Senior June Trodden has added 26 caused turnovers and 25 draw controls, while Ambrozy has totaled 25 caused turnovers and 42 ground balls.
The Diplomats also boast five all-conference selections, highlighted by two-time Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Year Belle Dintino. Attackers Lauren Pittman and Devyn Crone earned First Team All-Centennial honors, while Myranda Beebe and Sara DiGiovanni were named to the Second Team. Pittman leads the Diplomats with 46 goals this season, while Crone has dished out a team-best 41 assists.
In goal, Franklin & Marshall turns to Sara DiGiovanni, who owns an 11-7 record with 135 saves this season. Defensively, Dintino has posted a team-high 29 caused turnovers to go along with 43 ground balls and 52 draw controls.
The Bantams and Diplomats met earlier this season when Franklin & Marshall hosted Trinity in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for a non-conference matchup. At the time, Trinity was ranked No. 17 nationally, while the Diplomats held the No. 13 spot in the rankings. The Bantams came away with a decisive 17-7 victory.
TRINITY ATHLETICS
