THE RUNDOWN
DBU's incredible 2021 season ends with a 2-1 loss to the College of Saint Rose in the NCAA Semifinals in Colorado, Springs, Colorado. A goal from Melanie Castelan in the 73rd minute helped DBU (20-4) chip away a 2-0 deficit before Golden Knights' (18-1-4) goalkeeper Marika Laurendeau recorded the game-sealing save in the final 10 seconds. 

The Patriots stormed the opening kickoff and forced a corner kick just 16 seconds into the match. The early set-piece proved the Patriots unafraid to challenge a Golden Knights defense that ranks top-three in the country. DBU outshot CSR 25-11 on the day and forced Laurendeau to make a season-high 11 saves. Despite the offensive aggression, DBU suffered an early gut punch when a pass from CSR's Ryleigh Hopeck took an aggressive bounce off the turf at Weidner Field before jetting over the outstretched hand of Breanna Bowen in the sixth minute. 

Junior forward Kaelyn Britt cushioned the Golden Knight's lead with the 2-0 goal in the 63rd minute. But, as they've done all season, the Patriots continued to fight. DBU began an all-out assault on the CSR backline, and Melanie Castelan's first goal of the season proved to be the most significant as the Patriots battled elimination with 17 minutes remaining. 
Michelle Gonzalez (Marta), Rachel Allen, Abigail Olmos, Jenna Patterson, and Ashley Merrill all landed shots on frame in the last eight minutes as Saint Rose survived as time expired. 

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 
-DBU finishes the 2021 campaign with a 20-4 record.
-The Patriots scored against a Golden Knights defense that had allowed just 10 goals all season. 
-The Patriots part ways with fifth-year seniors Delaney Schmidt, Abigail Olmos, Summerlyn Heller, and Melissa Jones. 
-Schmidt finishes her Patriot career as the all-time leader in game-winning goals (17) and starts (98). 
-Olmos shuts the book on her DBU story with the third-most assists in school history (21) and the most in a single season (10.)
-After starting a remarkable 82 consecutive games, Heller walks away the all-time leader in games played (102.)
- Jones saved her best season for last, recording career-highs in goals (two), assists (two), and shots (13.)

COACH MICHELLE LENARD ON THE GAME
"That was a tough game. We knew it was going to be a battle. This is the Final Four and we expected nothing less from Saint Rose... We feel disappointed for our team. We had enough good opportunities that we feel we shouldn't have lost today. But that's soccer and sometimes it doesn't go the way you want it to. We never stopped pushing, I thought right up until the last second that we were going to tie it up and send it to overtime. I couldn't be more proud of these girls for how they competed on the field and just who they are as people."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
25 - DBU forced Saint Rose to face a season-high 25 shots.
59 - The Patriots controlled possession for 59 percent of the match.
4 - Four different Patriots placed multiple shots on goal.