EAST STROUDSBURG – In a nationally ranked battle at Whitenight Field, the No. 1 East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team opened the season with a convincing 16-7 victory over No. 15 Seton Hill on Sunday afternoon.

The Warriors (1-0) opened the season with a strong-ranked win against a regional opponent. The Griffins (0-1) look to pick up their first win of the season at Shippensburg on Wednesday.

Reigning PSAC East Athlete of the Year and USA Lacrosse Magazine Player of the Year, Emily Mitarotonda, paced the game with five goals and an assist for six points. Kiki Fitzpatrick also recorded six points on three goals and three assists.

ESU interim head coach Rachel Ward picked up her first win as the leader of the Warriors. The fourth-year assistant coach is filling in for Xeni Barakos-Yoder, who is on medical leave after welcoming her second child.

Notables

• After tearing her ACL in the season opener in 2022, Olivia Wenrich totaled four goals on five shots.
• Wilmington transfer and 2022 All-CACC First Team selection Campell Heller registered a hat-trick in her Warrior debut. In her collegiate debut,
• Jolee Roth recorded a goal and a pair of assists. Madison Bagatta also notched an assist.
• Defensively, IWLCA All-America selection Maggie Sell contributed four caused turnovers and three ground balls. Jameson Kernaghan also recorded multiple caused turnovers with two and scooped two ground balls.
• Mitarotonda added four ground balls and eight draw controls. Madison Bagatta scooped four draw controls.
• Former York All-American Riley DiFiore impressed in the cage, registering eight saves in her first game in the Red and Black.

How It Happened

• The first period saw ESU take the first lead. A pair of new Warriors connected, with Heller opening the scoring with an assist by Roth. Wenrich followed with her first of three goals with just over three minutes left in the opening quarter. ESU took a 2-0 lead into the second quarter in the defensive battle.
• Goals from Mitarotonda, Wenrich, and Mitarotonda again extended the Warrior lead to 5-0. SHU got on the scoreboard with 9:51 to go in the first half to temporarily halt the scoring run. ESU responded within the minute, as Wenrich totaled a hat-trick in the first half. Goals from Fitzpatrick and Mitarotonda's third goal of the contest increased the ESU lead to seven at 8-1. SHU tacked on its second goal with 3:36 left, but ESU entered the locker room with a seven-goal lead after Fitzpatrick scored her second goalwith 23 seconds left in the first half to make it a 9-2 contest.
• The third period saw ESU continue its momentum. The Warriors opened the third period with three consecutive goals to reach the mercy-rule time threshold at 12-2 with 11:30 left in the frame. SHU halted the run and the time with a goal at the 7:07 mark. ESU scored the next two to increase its edge to 14-3 with 3:17 left.
• With the game in hand, SHU recorded three consecutive goals to close and open the fourth, slicing the deficit to 14-6. That's as close as the Griffins could get, as Heller and Wenrich added goals at the 3:27 and 2:52 mark. Seton Hill wrapped up the scoring with a goal with 50 seconds remaining.

Up Next

• ESU welcomes another nationally-ranked foe to the Poconos on Saturday.
• The Warriors and No. 13 Pace will battle on Saturday, March 4 at Noon at Whitenight Field.