Lawrence Tech Thwarts Cinderella SCAD Savannah to Win NAIA Women's Title

Clarke Haas and SCAD Savannah were minutes away from an NAIA women’s lacrosse national title.

Haas scored her ninth goal with 9:44 remaining, putting her side up two in front of 550 fans in Southfield, Michigan. The Bees were the tournament’s Cinderella story — the No. 5 seed that throttled top-seeded Keiser (Fla.) in the semifinals by 14 goals.

Second-seeded Lawrence Tech (Mich.) collected itself inside 10 minutes remaining on Saturday. Hannah Huebner deposited a goal with 4:36 left in regulation, then she scored another to tie the game at 15-all 65 seconds later.

Alaina Smythe had a shot to win it with one second left, but Bees goalie Lorna Fowles saved it to force overtime. Smythe wouldn’t relinquish her next opportunity.

After Anabelle Acluche made a clutch save of her own for Lawrence Tech in overtime, Smythe buried the game-winning goal off a feed from Gabi Mitchell with 3:11 left in the extra period. With the 16-15 win, Lawrence Tech is an NAIA women’s lacrosse champion for the first time.

Smythe scored five times in the game. Sydney Robinson had one goal and six assists, and both Huebner and Bella Burke produced four goals. Haas finished the tournament with 16 goals for SCAD Savannah after leaving the quarterfinal game prematurely with two yellow cards.

It was a seesaw-type of game. SCAD Savannah (12-6) finished the first quarter up 5-2 before Lawrence Tech (17-1) buried seven straight for a 9-5 lead. The Bees scored four of the next five, with Emma Roch’s player-up goal cutting Lawrence Tech’s lead to 10-9.

The sides jockeyed for control until SCAD Savannah took its 15-13 lead on Haas’ free-position score with 9:44 left in the fourth quarter.