WATCH NCAA DII NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
LIVE STATS NCAA DII NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- The East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team will contend for an NCAA Division II National Championship for the first time in program history after downing Queens, 13-12, in overtime on Friday afternoon at Lindenwood University's Hunter Stadium.

Freshman Sophia Graffeo posted the game-winning goal (woman down) in the extra period, after a clutch save from goalkeeper McKenzie Gaghan. Kayleigh Pokrivka earned possession for ESU, who found Maddie Heck. Heck made a great pass to Kiki Fitzpatrick, who assisted Graffeo on the game-winning goal.

The first-seeded Warriors (20-1) avenged its 2021 NCAA Division II Semifinal loss to the Royals, handing undefeated Queens (21-1) its first loss of 2022.

The Warriors will contend for its first national championship in its 58-year history, facing the University of Indianapolis at Hunter Stadium on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. EST. Three-seed UIndy defeated two-seed Adelphi, 11-6 in the other NCAA Semfinal.

• PSAC East Athlete of the Year and IWLCA First Team All-America Emily Mitarotonda led ESU with four goals, adding an assist for five total points. She scooped three ground balls, caused a turnover and earned four draw controls.
• Gianna LeDuc scored a hat trick and added an assist for four points.
• Graffeo and Lauren Neufeld posted two goals, while Heck and Madison Bagatta also added a goal.
• Jameson Kernaghan (3 CTs), Kristen Andreychak, Kayleigh Pokrivka and McKenzie Gaghan all caused multiple turnovers.
• Andreychak (6 GBs), Pokrivka (3 GB), Gaghan (3 GBs) and McKenna Conklin (3 GBs) led the way in ground balls.
• Gaghan earned her second consecutive overtime win, making eight saves in the 63 minute triumph.
• Queens entered the contest ranked first in the IWLCA Coaches Poll, but were seeded fourth in the NCAA Bracket. The contest for the Royals marks its final NCAA Division II game, as the Queens' athletic department announced they will begin to transition it NCAA Division I this summer.   
• ESU seeks its eighth national championship as an athletic department and looks to capture its first title since 2015 when ESU field hockey defeated Merrimack, 1-0, on Nov. 22, 2015. Other Warrior teams earning national titles include men's soccer (NAIA, 1962), Archery (United State Intercollegiate - Mixed - 1975, Men - 1976, 1977) and men's gymnastics (NCAA Division II, 1983, 1984).

• ESU built a 3-1 lead, with Mitarotonda finding the back of the net first. Queens responded right away, but LeDuc and Bagatta increased the Warriors lead to two. QU added a goal to cut the deficit to 3-2, as both squads added a goal to end the opening quarter, with ESU clinging to a 4-3 lead after 15 minutes at Hunter Stadium.
• LeDuc looked like she opened the second quarter scoring, but an illegal stick would forfeit the goal. Instead it was the Royals that opened the second frame with a goal, tying the contest at 4-4.
• The Royals took their first lead at the 6:18 mark at 5-4, but Mitarotonda evened the contest once again less than a minute later with her second score.
• Graffeo lifted the Warriors back to a one-goal lead at 3:42 in the second quarter after a nice pass from LeDuc, but Queens answered shortly after and took a lead into the intermission with a buzzer-beating goal to end the first half.
• The Royals continued their scoring run, building a three-goal lead by scoring the first two goals in the second half before the Warriors could answer. Neufeld tallied her second goal, receiving a pass from Fitzpatrick for her 100th point of the season at the 7:38 mark in the third quarter.
• Mitarotonda fired a shot that was saved, but scooped the rebound and immediately fired her third goal into the back of the cage to make it a one-goal game at 9-8 in favor of Queens.
• A woman-up free-position goal would halt the Warrior scoring run and extended the Royals' lead to 10-8 after three quarters.
• It took ESU just nine second to retaliate, cutting the deficit to just 10-9 at the 14:51 mark in the fourth. The Warriors were able to take its first lead since the 3:42 mark in the second quarter with LeDuc's third goal of the contest.
• The Royals continued to fight back, scoring a pair of goals at the 10:26 and 7:10 mark to reclaim a 12-11 lead.
• The Georgian Court transfer Heck tallied the game-tying goal with 2:27 left to force overtime.
• For the second consecutive game, ESU went into overtime with the score at 12-12 and lost the opening draw, but Gaghan made a clutch save on QU's possession, as Pokrivka took the ball upfield, before passing to Heck, who found Fitzpatrick, who ultimately assisted on Graffeo's game-winning goal to send the Warriors to the national championship. The Warriors' most important goal in program history came a woman down.

Up Next

• With the win, ESU advances to its first-ever NCAA Division II National Championship in lacrosse. The Warriors will battle the University of Indianapolis on Sunday at 3:00 P.M.