WEST CHESTER, Pa. – With the score tied at 4-4 halfway through the first half, No. 4 West Chester was able to score seven of the next eight goals to take control, as the No. 9 East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team fell to the Golden Rams by a score of 17-11 in the PSAC Semifinal round.
The Warriors (10-3) will have to wait to see if it has earned a bid to the Division II Atlantic Regional at Eiler-Martin Stadium on Sunday's selection show. The Golden Rams (12-0) advance to the PSAC Championship game, hosting No. 22 Seton Hill on Saturday.
Senior Bailey McMaster led the ESU offense with four goals, while PSAC East Freshman of Year Emily Mitarotonda also tallied four points on three assists and a goal.
Kiki Fitzpatrick recorded three points on two goals and an assist. Shannon Dent (2 goals), Brielle Curtis (1 G, 1 A), Hana Cicerelle (1 G, 1 A) all registered a pair of points. Gianna LeDuc added an assist to round out the ESU point scorers.
Graduate Student goalkeeper Tatyana Petteway, who became the Division II all-time goalkeeper minutes played leader (4,232 minutes) in the contest, recorded five saves and moved up to ninth all-time in Division II in career saves with 733 carere saves. If the Warriors advance to the Division II Atlantic Regional Championships, Petteway needs just five saves to become ESU's all-time career saves leader.
The hard-fought first half went consistently went back-and-forth on the scoreboard. After Tatum Altman opened the scoring with her 40th goal of the season for WCU in the first minute, the Warriors responded with ESU all-time points leader Cicerelle's 27th goal of the season to tie the contest up.
After WCU took a 2-1 advantage in the fourth minute, Fitzpatrick and McMaster each fired scores as ESU took its first lead of the contest at 3-2 with 23:12 left to play in the opening half.
A pair of Golden Rams goals would give WCU back the lead at 4-3 with 18:37 to play, but McMaster's second goal of the contest would knot the score back up at four.
With 8:51 to play, WCU started its run. With the Golden Rams leading 6-4, Fitzpatrick looked to halt momentum with a score with 2:51 left in the half, but West Chester add a goal in the final minute of the first half, earning a two-goal lead of 7-5 after 30 minutes of action.
After the intermission, WCU took control with a 6-1 sprint to snatch a 13-6 lead with 15:08 remaining.
The Warriors did not concede cutting the deficit to 13-8 after goals from Dent and Mitarotonda.
After a pair of WCU goals, ESU once again sliced the WCU lead to five at 15-10 with scores from Dent and Curtis.
Ultimately, WCU would earn a 17-11 win, outscoring ESU 10-6 in the second half to earn a trip the PSAC Championship.
During the nationally-ranked bout, the PSAC revealed its all-conference teams. Emily Mitarotonda was named PSAC East Freshman of the Year to highlight seven Warriors garnering conference honors. For more information, click here.
ESU will find out its postseason fate during the NCAA Division II Women's Lacrosse Selection Show on Sun., May 9 at 8:30 p.m. on NCAA.com. The Atlantic Regional, hosted by East Stroudsburg University at Eiler-Martin Stadium is set for Friday May 14 and Sunday, May 16.
The top-three teams in the Atlantic Region (PSAC and CACC), determined by the selection committee will earn a trip to the Poconos. The winner of the Atlantic Region Championship on May 16 will head to the Division II Championships in Salem, Va. on May 21.
