Box Score

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Senior midfielder Chessie Rahmer scored four of her five goals in the second half, and No. 18-ranked East Stroudsburg University scored eight of the game's final nine goals, running past No. 7 LIU Post for a 17-7 win in non-conference women's lacrosse on Saturday afternoon.

ESU (13-2), the defending PSAC champion, won its ninth straight game entering next week's PSAC Tournament. The Warriors are the No. 2 seed and will play a semifinal game on Friday at 4 p.m. at host West Chester.

ESU's last loss was a 14-7 setback at West Chester on March 28.

LIU Post (12-5) played its second ranked opponent this week after falling 14-10 to Lindenwood (Mo.) on Wednesday.

Sophomore midfielder Hana Cicerelle had four goals and two assists, freshman midfielder Krista Mitarotonda posted three goals and two assists, junior midfielder Emma Rufolo had two goals and two assists and junior attack Brooke Fritz added four assists for the Warriors.

Sophomore goalkeeper Tatyana Petteway had 11 saves, with five in the first half as ESU built a 6-2 lead.

The Warriors led 4-0 before LIU Post got on the board at the 11:56 mark of the first half.  The margin remained at least four goals until LIU Post scored two straight to close within 9-6 with 19:53 remaining.

ESU dominated the final 19 minutes – outscoring the Pioneers 8-1 – starting with a goal by Rahmer (assisted by Rufolo) and followed by goals by Rufolo, Mitarotonda and Cicerelle (assisted by Fritz) for a commanding 13-6 lead with 6:23 left.

Rahmer, Cicerelle, junior attack TJ Jefferis and freshman midfielder Shannon Dent closed the scoring for ESU with four goals in the last 2:30.

Oliva Kirk, the first team IWLCA All-America goalkeeper as a junior last year for the Pioneers, made 11 saves.

Petteway, seventh in DII in save percentage (.526) entering the week, was the third team All-America goalkeeper selection as a freshman.

ESU had advantages of 35-31 in shots, 19-15 in turnovers and 23-15 in ground balls to offset a 14-11 deficit in draw controls.

Alyssa Mallery had four goals and eight draw controls, and Brianna Feldman had two goals and an assist, for LIU Post.

Rahmer, who entered ESU's career top 10 in goals in a 17-5 win at Bloomsburg on Wednesday, enters the top 10 in career points. She currently ranks tied for sixth at ESU in career goals (136) and 10th in points (164). She had her 20th career game with at least three goals, including her seventh this season.

Mitarotonda continues to extend her ESU freshman records for goals (55) and points (63) and had her 10th hat trick in 15 career games.

Cicerelle's six points push her season totals to 39 goals and 15 assists, followed by Rahmer (39 goals, 6 assists), Fritz (15g, 30a), Jefferis (15g, 26a) and Rufolo (29g, 8a).

ESU has scored at least 14 goals in its last eight games, and at least 17 in its last four, while holding six opponents to 10 goals or less in its nine-game winning streak.

The Warriors improve to 30-5 the last two years, including last season's school-record 17-3 mark with their first-ever PSAC championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.

They are 42-10 in three seasons under head coach Xeni Barakos, including 3-4 vs. IWLCA Top 10 opponents, after going 2-27 vs. Top 10 teams from 2008-15.

PSAC TOURNAMENT 
#1 West Chester (17-0, 12-0) (Final 4 host) vs #4/#5 winner Friday (1pm)
#2 ESU (13-2, 11-1) vs #3/#6 winner Friday (4pm)

1st Round (Tuesday)
#3 Mercyhurst (11-5, 9-3) vs #6 Bloomsburg (10-7, 6-6)
#4 Lock Haven (12-5, 8-4) vs #5 Slippery Rock (13-4, 8-4)