Syracuse, N.Y. – Graduate student attacker Francesca Tortora (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Stony Brook) tallied five points for the fourth straight game to lead the Le Moyne College women's lacrosse team to an 11-7 victory over FDU on Saturday in NEC action at Ted Grant Field.

With the victory, the Dolphins clinched a berth in the NEC Championship, which begins on Thursday, April 30 at the top seed. They will earn the top seed and the right to host the championship with a victory in the regular season finale at Central Connecticut State next Saturday.

Le Moyne (12-3, 7-1), which has won 12 games at the Division I level for the sixth time and for the first time since 2008, scored three times in the first four minutes of the game. Senior attacker Alexa Strelick (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) started the scoring at the 12:48 mark with her 15th goal of the season. Just 48 seconds later, junior midfielder Maddi Barney (Lorraine, N.Y./South Jefferson) tallied her 28th goal of the year. Sophomore midfielder Carrie Bennett (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) made it 3-0 with 11:00 left by converting a free-position shot for her second goal of the season.

Mia Devino got the Knights on the scoreboard only 38 seconds later after taking a pass from Maeve Chamberlin.

The Dolphins followed with the next two goals. Junior midfielder Julia Blakeslee (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca) pushed the margin back to three with her 16th goal of the campaign with 9:26 to go, which forced an FDU goalkeeper change. After three minutes of scoreless play, Tortora netted her 30th goal of the year.

Nora Codianni completed the scoring in the quarter with 1:01 left with her 32nd goal of the year off a feed from Jenny Spencer.

Karly Dillabough got the Knights within 5-3 with a player-down tally with 12:50 remaining in the second quarter.

Le Moyne regained control of the game with four goals over the final 6:39 of the half. Tortora started the spurt with 6:39 to go. Blakeslee followed with a free-position tally during an extra-player situation with 5:46 remaining, which forced an FDU timeout. Senior midfielder Sara Hunter (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) recorded her third goal of the campaign with 2:15 left after collecting a pass from Tortora. After an FDU turnover on a clear attempt, Barney scooped up the loose ball and fed Tortora for her third goal of the half with just 21 seconds remaining.

The Dolphins extended their run with the first two goals of the third quarter. Strelick converted a free-position shot at the 12:25 mark for her 16th marker of the season. Tortora finished her team's scoring with 9:17 left to force another goalie change for the Knights.

FDU netted the final two goals of the quarter. Dillabough tallied her 30th goal of the year with 6:42 left and then Brielle McInaw posted her 22nd with 1:26 remaining.

The Knights scored the only two goals of the fourth quarter. Devino registered her 13th goal of the campaign with 12:16 left after taking a pass from Riley Eaton during an extra-player situation. Dillabough ended the game's scoring with 6:51 remaining during another extra-player opportunity off a dish from Devino.

Junior goalkeeper Amanda Manfredi (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) registered 11 saves to earn the victory between the pipes. Blakeslee added eight draw controls to her two goals. Junior defender Steph Malota (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick) led the defense with a career-high three caused turnovers. Riley Schildt took the loss after yielding four goals over 5:34 without making a save.