Kelly Horning's goal with 33 seconds remaining in overtime sent Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse to the 2019 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship with a 10-9 victory over Siena. The Stags are the back-to-back MAAC Champions for the first time in program history after claiming their fifth tournament crown overall (2001, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019). Winner of 11 straight games, Fairfield (15-3) earns the MAAC's automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Championship. The complete field will be announced on Sunday, May 5 at 8 p.m. on NCAA.com. "We knew it was going to be this type of game," said Head Coach Laura Field. "Siena has a lot of talent and speed, and a lot of players that can score. I'm proud of our effort in the second half and overtime in particular. It was just an incredible game." After today's win, Fairfield is 7-0 in one-goal games this season, including a 12-11 win at Siena on April 13. Horning's game-winner came on the tail-end of a tremendous individual effort where she forced a turnover and scooped up the ground ball as a part of the Fairfield ride, then possessed the ball down the sideline and around the cage before beating MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year Sammy Horton to send the Stags to the NCAA postseason for the second straight year. An All-MAAC First Team honoree, Horning netted a hat trick today and totaled five goals, eight ground balls and five caused turnovers in the postseason to earn a place on the MAAC All-Championship Team for the second consecutive year. Leading the Fairfield attack today was Meaghan Graham, who scored two goals with two assists. Coupled with her seven-point day in Thursday's semifinal win over Marist, Graham was tabbed as the Most Valuable Player of the 2019 MAAC Championship. "Meaghan makes the most of every opportunity, and she is as consistent as it gets," said Field. "And for her to do that on this stage – you can't ask for anything more." Taylor Mitchell added a pair of free-position goals to the Stags' scoring effort, with single tallies coming from Brooke Gallagher, Kathleen Hulseman and Diana DeVita. Nicollette LaVista rounded out the attack with her first career assist. In the cage, Olivia Conquest made 14 saves to earn the win. Ten of her stops came in the second half, including stonewalling MAAC Midfielder of the Year Kerry Gerety as time expired in regulation to force the overtime period. "The hallmark of a great goalie is the ability to turn the page within a game, which is not an easy thing to do," noted Field of her freshman goalkeeper. "For her to have 10 saves in the second half is exceptional, and her save to get us into overtime is exactly the type of save that wins championships." Fairfield's defensive effort was led by Maggie Reynolds with four ground balls, three caused turnovers and two draw controls. In doing so, Reynolds joined Alex Kim (1999) as the only Stags in program history to top 30 ground balls, 30 draw controls and 30 caused turnovers in a season. Senior co-captains Megan Beach and Erin Mammele anchored the backline to limit the MAAC's second-highest scoring offense to just nine goals – snapping the Saints' streak of seven consecutive game with double-digit goals. Mammele also returned to form in the circle with six draw controls, including both draws during the overtime period. Also in the midfield, Horning had a team-high five ground balls with three caused turnovers. Joining Graham and Horning as Fairfield's representatives on the All-Championship Team were Gallagher, Beach and Mammele. Siena (12-7) was led by two goals and three assists from Gerety and a four-goal day from Nicole McNeely. Horton made 11 saves, including six in the second half and two in overtime. Fairfield's Class of 2019 caps its four years in the MAAC with back-to-back conference titles. Graduate student Brooke Gallagher, who was a medical redshirt as a freshman in the Stags' 2015 MAAC Championship campaign, is the first student-athlete in program history to be a part of three MAAC Championship squads. "I can't say enough about our seniors," Field said. "They made an impact everywhere on the field and they stayed calm at the end of regulation and into the overtime period. And at the end of the day, those are the type of people that you want to go into battle with." Field earns her second MAAC Championship as Fairfield's head coach and her fourth overall after patrolling the sidelines as a part of Mike Waldvogel's staff in both 2009 and 2015. Fairfield last won the MAAC Championship on its home field in 2001 – also an overtime victory. For the latest information about the Stags' upcoming return to the NCAA postseason, visit FairfieldStags.com.