Babson Park, MA --- Second-seeded and No. 24-ranked WPI put forth a valiant effort but fell 1-0 to top-seeded and third-ranked Babson in the NEWMAC Field Hockey Championship on Saturday afternoon at MacDowell Field.
 
The Engineers (14-5) limited one of the nation's top offenses to a single goal but were unable to find the equalizer in their first title game appearance in the NEWMAC era. The Beavers (20-1) claimed their fifth straight conference crown and automatic NCAA berth.
 
After a scoreless first quarter, Babson broke through midway through the second. Laney Reed (West Chester, PA) scored her fifth goal of the season off an assist from Tournament Most Outstanding Player Helen DiGiovanni (Harwich, MA) to give the Beavers the lead. WPI goalkeeper Myles Lakin (Reading, MA) was outstanding, recording seven saves in the first half alone to keep the Engineers within striking distance.
 
WPI generated its best chances late in the fourth quarter, earning a pair of penalty corners in the final minute. Abbey Powers (Halifax, MA) had two of her three shots turned aside, and Lauren Meinhold (Boxboro, MA) added three attempts, but Babson goalkeeper Madison Tibbals (Gorham, ME) and the Beavers' defense stood tall to preserve the shutout.
 
Lakin finished with seven saves on eight shots faced for WPI, while Tibbals stopped both of the Engineers' on-target attempts to earn the clean sheet for Babson.
 
The programs have now met five times in postseason play. WPI's lone postseason win came in the 2009 NEWMAC quarterfinals, a 2-1 victory on Alumni Field. Babson claimed wins in the 2021 semifinals, 2006 quarterfinals, and 1993 NEW 8 semifinals. Saturday's game marked WPI's first appearance in a NEWMAC championship and its first conference title game since winning four NEW 8 crowns between 1988 and 1992.
 
Additionally, WPI's Lauren Coutu (Baldwinville, MA) was named the recipient of the Laurels of Academic Excellence, awarded to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the championship site. The senior boasts a GPA of 3.95 while majoring in Biology and Biotechnology. 

Up next, the NCAA Division III Field Hockey selection show is scheduled for Sunday at 9pm. on NCAA.com. Babson will await to see if they receive a first round bye and second/third round hosting duties as the NEWMAC's automatic qualifier, while WPI will look to earn an at-large bid to the national tournament. 

The Engineers began the penultimate day of competition in-line for the 10th and final at-large spot and had survived four of the five bid thief games as of 3pm.   The final hurdles that remain is a bid thief game at 5pm Saturday between Rowan and upset-minded College of New Jersey and NPI mathematics between WPI and Amherst, who of this morning were separated by just 0. 0.509 points (68.535 to 68.026).