PHILADELPHIA – In its final non-conference game of the regular season, the No. 10/8 East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team cruised past Jefferson by a score of 15-8, on Saturday afternoon at Ravenhill Field.
The Warriors (5-1, 1-0 PSAC East) extends its winning streak to four entering PSAC East action, while the Rams (1-4) drop its third consecutive contest to a nationally-ranked foe.
Emily Mitarotonda posted another impressive performance, as the USA Lacrosse Magazine National Preseason Player of the Year posted six goals, including five in the first half. She added an assist for seven points and collected three ground balls and four draw controls.
Warrior goalkeeper
Riley DiFiore (W, 5-1) was a brick wall once again, making eight saves in the cage through two quarters of action, conceding just two goals to Jefferson in 30 minutes of work.
Notables
- Schiemer totaled three goals, all in the first half. She also earned a draw control. Two of her three goals came via free-position goals.
- Madison Bagatta and Campbel Heller each totaled a pair of goals. Bagatta earned three draw controls on the day. Also registering goals for ESU were Mary Fitzsimmons and Mia LaBarca. The goal for LaBaraca was her first collegiate goal for the native of Toms River, N.J.
- Kiki Fitzpatrick totaled a pair of assists and paced the Warriors with six draw controls.
- GK Bella Gismondi closed the game in the cage in the second half quarter, making seven saves while allowing six goals.
- ESU led the game in draw controls by a 17-10 mark and led 17-10 on saves.
- For Jefferson, the crew used a balanced offense, with six different Rams recording a goal. Madison Caffrey and Audrey Strock both struck for two goals in the contest. Melanie Goldstein made seven stops while allowing 15 goals in the 60-minute performance.
- Mitarotonda now has 23 goals and four assists for 27 points in six games. Nine of 23 goals have from on free positions shots, and No. 24 now has 24 ground balls, 12 caused turnovers and 23 draw controls. In her Warrior career, she needs just one draw control for 200 and one ground ball for 100 career ground balls. She is also now two points away from 200 career points. She looks to accomplish all of those milestones in her 45th career game on Tuesday at West Chester.
How it Happened
- After three consecutive goals, with Schiemer opening the scoring and Mitarotonda adding the next two in just over five minutes of action, Jefferson struck for a pair of goals to cut its deficit to just a single goal.
- Holding a one-goal lead at 3-2, the Warriors took control of the game with eight consecutive goals to end the half and opened the second half with a goal for a 9-0 Warrior run to grab at 12-2 advantage. Mitarotonda added three goals during the stretch to reach five goals by halftime. Schiemer completed her first half hat trick with a pair goals, while Heller added two goals and Fitzsimmons and Bagatta also scored during the game-altering scoring run.
- The Rams ended the run with a pair of goals to make it an eight-goal game at 12-4 in the third quarter, but ESU reached the ten-goal clock rule with 3:17 left in the third with Mitarotonda's sixth goal and a goal from LaBarca.
- With the game in hand during the final quarter, Jefferson outscored the Warriors, 4-1, but ultimately ESU posted its fourth consecutive win by the final score of 15-8.
- In six games as a Warrior, DiFiore, a former All-America selection at York, has now posted 58 saves and allowed 52 goals for a .527 save percentage and a 9.45 goals against average. She has made at least eight saves in all six contests this season.
Up Next
- No. 8/10 Warriors (5-1, 1-0 PSAC East) will have quick turnaround, heading to No. 3/No. 1 West Chester (6-0, 2-0 PSAC East) on Tuesday in an important conference and nationally-ranked clash at WCU's Vonnie Gros Field.
- The opening draw on is set for 4:00 p.m.
