Purchase, NY (April 25, 2017) – The Purchase College women's lacrosse team is heading to the Skyline Conference postseason thanks to tonight's victory.

The Panthers improved to 3-5 in league play, taking control of the sixth seed – the final playoff spot. The Mariners, who fell to 2-5 with one league game remaining, could tie the Panthers with a victory over the College of Mount Saint Vincent Saturday, but the tiebreaker would then go to Purchase following tonight's final.

The narrow win sealed Purchase's postseason fate. The Panthers have now reached the playoffs in three straight spring campaigns.

In a matchup for the final postseason spot, Purchase came up big.

Purchase opened with two scores in the first three minutes as Zoe Hines (JR/Maplewood, NJ) and Emma Porter (JR/Homer, NY) went back-to-back for a quick 2-0 lead.

The hosts would take a 5-1 lead before the Mariners marched right back and tied the game on four straight goals, including two from Angela Parker.

The Panthers scored three of the night four in a see-saw battle, with Hines netting her 35th off an assist from Porter to increase the margin to 8-6.

An unassisted score from A Jordan Pappas brought USMMA to within one goal at halftime (8-7).

In the second half, Porter scored two of the next three goals in the game and Purchase then led 10-8 roughly five minutes into the period.

The game was far from over.

Parker would bring the visitors back within two goals, 12-10, at 15:29.

After Hines scored for Purchase, Parker then recorded back-to-back to close the gap to one (13-12).

The teams would alternate goals the rest of the way. Grace McHugh made it interesting in the final minute, scoring for USMMA to close the gap back to one, but the Panthers fended off one final push on an extremely soggy, rain-soaked evening to clinch a playoff berth.

Porter starred for the Panthers with seven goals and two assists for nine points. Hines added four goals. Kelly Turtell (JR/Farmingdale, NY) added three goals and a team-best four assists for seven points, while teammate Meaghan Gillen (FR/Port Jervis, NY) contributed one goal, her first of the season. All goals loomed large in the one-goal win.

Parker paced USMMA with five goals. Jordan Pappas netted four. McHugh chipped in three. Two others had single goals.

Purchase wraps the regular season Saturday on Senior Day against Mitchell College. The playoffs open next week.