EAST STROUDSBURG – Holding a 9-7 lead at halftime, the East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team outscored PSAC West champion Seton Hill, 9-3, over the final 30 minutes to earn a 18-10 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Eiler-Martin Stadium on Friday afternoon.
The third-seed Warriors (11-3) advance to play first-seed West Chester on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ESU looks to earn its second Atlantic Region Championship in program history, with its first coming in 2018 in a 16-14 win over the Golden Rams. The Griffins' (13-3) season, where it earned its second-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth, comes to a close.
Graduate Student goalkeeper Tatyana Petteway became ESU's all-time career saves leader during the first half, posting 13 saves for 746 career saves. She entered the day ranked ninth in Division II in career saves and moved up to sixth in DII history, surpassing Kelly Wagner (737, ESU, 2000-03), Ashley Simpson (743, Franklin Pierce, 2001-04) and Jillian Bolduc (745, Franklin Pierce, 2009-12). Petteway is now second all-time in PSAC history, only trailing DII all-time saves leader Katie Lee (961, IUP, 2006-09).
Pacing the balanced ESU offense was freshman Emily Mitarotonda (4 goals, 2 assists), redshirt sophomore Kiki Fitzpatrick (4 goals), graduate student Hana Cicerelle (3 goals, 1 assist), and seniors Gianna LeDuc (1 goal, three assists) and Shannon Dent (3 goals).
Senior Bailey McMaster added a pair of goals, while first-year Warrior Jameson Kernaghan also found the back of the cage on the afternoon. Senior Brielle Curtis rounds out the ESU point scorers with a pair of assists.
Along with four goals, Mitarotonda earned a game-high nine draw controls, caused two turnovers and scooped a ground ball. Freshman McKenna Conklin recorded five draw controls, while Madison Bagatta would total four DCs. Senior Kayleigh Pokrivka also caused a pair of Griffin turnovers on the afternoon.
ESU led in shots (39-32), shots on goal (28-23), saves (13-10), ground balls (15-14), draw controls (20-9) and free position shots (9-6).
Gallery: (5-14-2021) ESU Women's Lacrosse vs Seton Hill
The Warriors opened the scoring in the second minute, on its way to a 3-0 lead before SHU would get on the scoreboard in the fifth minute to make it 3-1. After Dent's second goal of the contest increased ESU's advantage back to three goals, SHU would cut the deficit to two with a goal from Kristi Kada.
Both team's would be held off the scoreboard for the next five minutes, until McMaster found the back of the cage for the Warriors on an assist from LeDuc to bring the ESU advantage to 5-2.
SHU finished the half strong, scoring five goals over the final 13:53 in the first half, as the Warriors added four goals during that span. ESU would take a 9-7 lead into the halftime locker room tent after 30 minutes of action.
A 5-0 ESU run to begin the second half, featuring goals from Fitzpatrick, Cicerelle, Mitarotonda (2) and Dent would extend the Warriors' edge to 14-7.
SHU's first of three second-half goals would put a temporary halt to ESU's spree, as the Warriors would score four of the final six goals in the contest to advance to its third-ever Atlantic Region Championship game with an 18-10 victory over Seton Hill.
The Warriors now set their eyes on PSAC Champion West Chester (13-0), who has handed ESU its only three losses on the season. ESU has held leads in all three contests, as the Red and Black look to win its second-ever regional title and advance to the NCAA semifinals for the second time in program history.
