Box Score

ESU's Lax 4 Life photo (instagram/ESUWarriors)
* national lacrosse initiative for adolescent and young adult suicide prevention awareness

EAST STROUDSBURG - Junior midfielder Chessie Rahmer scored five goals to lead the attack and freshman goalkeeper Tatyana Petteway, the PSAC leader in save percentage, made 22 saves as East Stroudsburg University upended No. 10-ranked Mercyhurst, 16-10, in PSAC women's lacrosse on Saturday afternoon at Whitenight Field.

ESU (11-2, 7-1), which extended its school record winning streak vs. PSAC schools to six games, controlled the game throughout. The Warriors never trailed, led 9-4 at halftime and by as many as nine goals in the second half.

The Warriors take over the PSAC lead, entering the final two weeks of the regular season as the only one-loss team in conference play after IUP (7-5, 6-2) fell 20-9 at West Chester (9-3, 6-2) on Saturday. IUP, West Chester and Mercyhurst (8-3, 6-2) are all tied for second behind ESU.

Mercyhurst, the defending PSAC champion, had won six straight following a 10-9 (OT) loss at Seton Hill in its PSAC opener on March 21 but was never closer than five goals in the second half.

Petteway stopped a Mercyhurst offense that held advantages of 39-26 in shots and 17-10 in draw controls.

She limited the Lakers to 2-for-14 on free position attempts after entering the week first in the PSAC in save percentage (.539), second in saves per game (9.9) and fourth in goals against average (8.83).

Rahmer (5 goals), senior midfielder Emily Fitzsimmons (4 goals, 1 assist), sophomore attack TJ Jefferis (3 goals, 1 assist), sophomore midfielder Emma Rufolo (2 goals, 2 assists), senior attack Lauren Green (1 goal, 7 assists) and junior midfielder Alicia Stratten (goal, assist) contributed the ESU offense.

Green's seven assists are one off ESU's school record of eight set by Lauren Nunes last year vs. Wilmington. She is the second ESU player in the last 30 years with seven assists in a game, joining Nunes, who did it three times in 2016 on her way to leading DII in assists per game (3.59).

Kristin Anderson and Janelle Williams scored three goals each and Taylor Izzo had two goals and four assists for Mercyhurst.

The Warriors jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the first nine minutes, with Fitzsimmons scoring less than a minute into the game, Jefferis converting Green's first assist, Rufolo netting a free position shot, Green scoring from Rufolo and Rahmer finishing a Green assist.

Green set up Rahmer again for the Warriors next two goals, Rufolo scored unassisted and Fitzsimmons scored on a Rufolo assist for a 9-4 halftime advantage, with the Warriors finishing on a 6-2 run.

ESU scored five straight goals spanning halftime, the final two of the first half and the first three of the second half, to open a 12-4 lead. Stratten scored on a free position, Green set up Fitzsimmons and Stratten assisted Jefferis to extend the margin to eight with 23:43 left.

Green recorded her sixth and seventh assists on goals by Fitzsimmons and Jefferis to get the lead to nine (14-5) with 18:34 remaining.

Mercyhurst scored the next four to cut it to 14-9 with just over 10 minutes left, but there was no more scoring until Rahmer scored her fourth of the game (from Jefferis) to make it 15-9 with 2:23 left. Rahmer finished the scoring (from Fitzsimmons) in the last 15 seconds.

Petteway's 22 saves far exceeded her previous season-high of 14 in ESU's 10-7 win at No. 16 Lock Haven last week. She had at least as many saves as goals allowed for the eighth time in 11 appearances in goal this spring.

Rahmer, ESU's top goal scorer (32 goals, 8 assists) this season, finished the afternoon with 99 career points.

Green (19 goals, 24 assists) captured the Warriors season points lead (43). ESU now has six players with at least 15 goals, and all six have at least 25 points, to pace a balanced attack.

ESU improved to 3-1 vs. nationally-ranked opponents this season, winning its last three (10-7 at #16 Lock Haven, 12-11 at #18 Seton Hill, 16-10 vs. #10 Mercyhurst) following a 12-11 setback vs. #4 LIU Post in late March.

The Warriors topped Mercyhurst for the first time since the Lakers joined the PSAC in 2009. The Lakers had won the last nine in the series overall, including all eight in conference play.

ESU is away at Kutztown on Tuesday and hosts Millersville Thursday in its two games next week.