EAST STROUDSBURG -- In the 2022 season opener, the sixth-ranked East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team closed the game on a 11-2 run to pick up a dominant 18-6 victory over Jefferson on Wednesday afternoon at Whitenight Field.

The Warriors (1-0) picks up its first win of the season, earning victories in four consecutive season openers. Jefferson falls to 0-2 on the young season.

Notables

• The Warriors were led offensively by 2021 IWLCA All-American Emily Mitarotonda, who posted four goals and an assist for five points
• McKenna Conklin and Kiki Fitzpatrick each recorded four goals.
• Gianna LeDuc and Madison Bagatta added a goal and a pair of assists.
• Maddie Heck registered her first goal as a Warrior and her 100th goal of her collegiate career. The transfer from Georgian Court entered the contest with 99 goals, 48 assists and 147 points.
• Hannah Campbell registered two goals, while Sofia Graffeo added her first career goal. Mary Fitzsimmons posted an assist to round out the points for the Warriors.
• The goalkeeper duo of senior McKenzie Gaghan (4 GA, 4 saves, 22:22) and freshman Bella Gismondi (W, 1-0, 2 GA, 5 saves) combined for nine saves.
• Kayleigh Pokrivka (4 caused turnovers, five ground balls) and Maggie Sell (3 caused turnovers) held their own defensively.

How It Happened

• Bagatta opened the season scoring on a free position goal. Jefferson countered a few minutes later to knot the score. ESU strung together a five goal run, with Mitarotonda, Graffeo, Fitzpatrick (2x) and Gianna LeDuc all tallied first quarter scores.
• Jefferson did not give up, getting back into the game with a pair of goals and began the second frame down 6-3. Fitzpatrick responded with her third goal, but the Rams made it a three-goal game at 7-4 with 10:29 to go until halftime.
• The Warriors substituted Gismondi into the game after Jefferson made it 7-4 contest, as ESU took control of the game with seven consecutive scores, taking a 10-goal mercy-rule lead at 14-4. After Jefferson trimmed the lead to 14-6, ESU closed the contest with four straight goals, as ESU earned the 18-6 victory.
• ESU led Jefferson by a 31-19 mark, 28-15 on shots on goal, 12-24 on turnovers. ESU earned clears on 19 of 23 possessions, while the Rams countered with 13-14. ESU led 26-24 in ground balls and 18-10 on draw controls. Jefferson held a 10-5 edge on free-position shots.

Up Next

• The Warriors head to the Garden State Friday, facing Georgian Court.
• ESU will battle one of its own in the Lions' head coach Samantha Hosford '16.
• The Warriors return to Whitenight Field on Wed., March 9 against Caldwell.