SALEM, Va. – For the second-time in program history, the East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team advances to the NCAA Semifinal, as the fourth-seed Warriors face first-seed Queens with a trip to the NCAA Division II Championship game on the line on Fri., May 21 at 4:00 p.m. at Kerr Stadium on the campus of Roanoke College in Salem, Va.
HOW TO FOLLOW: The two DII semifinal games and national championship contest will be streamed on NCAA.com. Live stats are also provided. The Warriors – Royals matchup can be watched here with live stats appearing here.
HOW WE GOT HERE: Hosting the Atlantic Regional for the first time in program history, the Warriors downed PSAC West Champion No. 22 Seton Hill, 18-9 and PSAC Champion and the last remaining undefeated squad in Division II No. 4 West Chester, 13-9, to earn its second-ever appearance in the NCAA Semifinals.
LAST TIME OUT: Facing the team that handed the Warriors its only three losses this season, ESU built a 4-2 lead over the Golden Rams prior to a 52-minute lightning delay. The Warriors were able to keep momentum once play resumed, as the Warriors extended its lead to 9-2. ESU was able to hold off a WCU comeback, earning a 13-9 victory over the Golden Rams. Mitarotonda led ESU with five points on three goals and two assists. She also caused four turnovers and scooped four draw controls.
THE SERIES: ESU and Queens have met once prior to Sunday, the 2010 season opener in Charlotte where ESU needed an overtime period to down the Royals 14-13. ESU head coach Xeni Barakos-Yoder was a junior at the time at ESU and appeared in the game. Molly O'Hara recorded four goals including the go-ahead goal in overtime to lift the Warriors to victory.
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: With the impressive performances against Seton Hill and West Chester, the IWLCA announced on Tuesday that Mitarotonda was named IWLCA DII Offensive Player of the Week. The national player of the week honor is the first for ESU since 2017. For more on the national player of the week honor, click here.
ALL-REGION: Six Warriors were named to the IWLCA Atlantic Region Team on Thursday, which tied a program record set in 2018. First team selections include Hana Cicerelle, Emily Mitarotonda, Tatyana Petteway and Kayleigh Pokrivka. Second team all-region honorees include Kristen Andreychak and Gianna LeDuc. ESU led the Atlantic Region with six selections. For the full release, click here.
SCOUTING ESU: The Warriors enter the NCAA Semifinals with a top-20 scoring offense and scoring defense, ranking 19th offensively with 15.27 goals per game and 11th in scoring defense with 7.33 goals allowed per contest. Graduate students Hana Cicerelle and Tatyana Petteway rank among the best ever to ever wear a Warrior uniform. Cicerelle's 265 points are the most in program history and Petteway's 755 career saves are the most in program history and rank sixth all-time in Division II. In her sixth season, ESU head coach Xeni Barakos-Yoder has posted a 75-22 record. The ESU alumna has guided the Warriors to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) and both of its Atlantic Region titles (2018, 2021) in program history.
SCOUTING QUEENS: The Royals enter the semifinal matchup with a 13-1 record, with its lone loss coming against nationally-ranked University of Indianapolis on Feb. 27. Since entering the postseason, Queens has posted a 22-4 win over UVA Wise and a pair of wins over No. 13 Limestone. Among Division II teams, Queens leads the nation in points per game (28.71), second in assists per game (10.14) and ground balls per game (24.79) fourth in draw controls (17.21) and fifth in draw controls per game (17.21). In the cage, Sara Mitrecic ranks ninth in the country in goals against average (7.81) and 25th in save percentage (.459). The Royals enter the contest with an 11-game winning streak.
UP NEXT: The winner of the ESU – Queens matchup will face two-seed Lindenwood (15-1) and third-seed Roberts Wesleyan (14-1) on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in the NCAA DII National Championship game.
