EAST STROUDSBURG – Holding a slim 5-4 lead in the first half, the No. 10 East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team embarked on a 9-1 scoring spree to spark a 17-9 victory over Bloomsburg on Tuesday afternoon at Eiler-Martin Stadium. The Warriors (7-1, 6-1 PSAC East) extended its winning streak to four with the win, while the Huskies fall to 4-3 on the season and in PSAC East play.
Freshman Emily Mitarotonda led the Warriors with a season-best six goals. Six goals is the most by a first-year Warrior since her sister, Krista Mitarotonda, posted three six-goal games during her freshman year in the Poconos in 2018. Those four six-goal games by the Mitarotonda sisters are the most goals by a freshman at ESU since at least 2004.
Hana Cicerelle, who was named PSAC East Athlete of the Week for the second consecutive week earlier in the day, posted a season best seven-point performance on three goals and four assists against the Huskies. The graduate student also earned three draw controls on the afternoon.
Cicerelle's big day offensively gives her 158 career goals, 85 assists and 243 career points. The Broadway, N.J. native is now just 10 points away from becoming ESU's all-time points leader.
Seniors Gianna LeDuc and Bailey McMaster also contributed a hat trick, along with an assist for four points apiece. Elaina Ohlson added a goal and an assist, while Madison Bagatta led the Warriors with four draw controls, along with her seventh goal of the season.
Graduate student goalkeeper Tatyana Petteway posted another impressive performance with 14 saves. The Nanuet, N.Y. product now has a 691 career saves, which is 47 saves from becoming the all-time saves leader at ESU. Petteway is just 15 saves away from cracking the top-10 all-time at the Division II level. In two games against Bloomsburg this season, Petteway has posted a .674 save percentage and has conceded an average of just seven goals per contest against the Huskies.
ESU led in shots on goal (29-23), saves (14-12), clears (20-25 / 15-21). The Huskies held advantages in turnovers (19-20), ground balls (24-17), draw controls (16-12) and free position shots (7-5).
The two foes fought back and forth on the scoreboard to begin the game, as McMaster struck first just under the two-minute mark. BU's Anna Dempsey answered with 25:18 left in the first half to knot the score at 1-1.
The Warrior duo of Cicerelle and E. Mitarotonda both secured their first goals of the contest in the seventh minute of the first half, as ESU took a 3-1 lead. BU didn't back away, going on a 2-0 run itself to tie the game back up at 3-3.
E. Mitarotonda and LeDuc made sure the Warriors didn't relinquish the lead, as ESU grabbed a 5-3 advantage with 17:47 left until halftime. The Huskies' Cassidy Griffin cut the deficit to just a single goal off an assist from Kelsey Clauss in the 17th minute.
Just like it had accomplished against Shippensburg in its previous game, the Warriors closed the first half with a relentless scoring spree, as the Warriors took control of the contest on a 9-1 run to grab a 14-5 advantage on the scoreboard. McMaster (2), Bagatta, Cicerelle (2), LeDuc (2) E. Mitarotonda (2) all supplied goals in the game-altering run.
Bloomsburg outscored ESU, 4-3, over the final 17:20 of the second half, but the damage was already done. ESU completed the regular season sweep of the Huskies by a score of 17-9.
ESU is back in action on Saturday, when the Warriors host Millersville for senior day. The opening draw is slated for 1:00 p.m.
