EAST STROUDSBURG – Trailing 10-6 in the third quarter, the No. 7 East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team closed the game with five unanswered goals, including the equalizing goal with three seconds remaining in regulation and the game-winning goal in overtime to take down No. 2 Adelphi, 11-10, on Saturday afternoon on a rain-soaked Whitenight Field.
With the win, the Warriors (3-0) remain undefeated on the season. The Panthers (3-1) suffer their first loss in the top-10 showdown.
Adelphi looked to run out the clock in its own defensive end, but a bad pass allowed
Campbell Heller to pick off the pass. Heller quickly found
Emily Mitarotonda open in front of the cage, as the Rockaway, N.J. native deposited her seventh goal of the game to send the game to overtime.
A game after becoming the program's career points leader, Mitarotonda led the Warriors in the comeback victory with an impressive performance of seven goals, an assist, seven caused turnovers, five ground balls and five draw controls.
Notables
- In just three games this season, Mitarotonda - a three-time IWLCA All-America selection - has compiled 16 goals, three assists, 12 ground balls, 13 caused turnovers and 14 draw controls.
- Hannah Schiemer scored a pair of goals, including the overtime game-winner on a free-position attempt.
- Campbell Heller and Courtney Reynolds also found the back of the cage. Heller scored her 100th career collegiate goal; she netted 75 as a freshman at Wilmington and, after transferring, has added 25 goals at ESU."
- In the cage, Abby Simonetti (2-0) made 11 saves in her first career start, picking up her second-consecutive win. AU's Jillian McFadden also made 11 saves in the loss.
- Kerrin Heuser and Kelly-Ann McGrath each had a hat trick to lead the Panthers. McGrath added three caused turnovers, five ground balls and nine draw controls.
- The Warriors led the game in shots on goal (22-21), while Adelphi led in total shots (31-25), ground balls (32-26) and draw controls (16-10).
- Over the final 27:32 of game clock, the ESU defense kept No. 2 Adelphi scoreless.
- ESU is now 32-55 against IWLCA Top-25 nationally ranked teams in program history, along with an 18-22 record at home and a 7-28 record against top-five ranked opponents. The victory over No. 2 Adelphi is the Warriors' highest-ranked win since taking down No. 1 Queens, 13-12 in overtime, during the NCAA Semifinals in 2022.
- The win marks the highest-ranked opponent win at home for ESU, with the previous-best win against No. 4 West Chester in the NCAA Atlantic Region Final at Eiler-Martin Stadium in 2021.
How It Happened
- It was Adelphi that struck first and took momentum, with Heuser opening the scoring. After Mitarotonda answered with her first goal of the contest, Heuser added her second goal, while Danielle Marino increased the Panthers' lead to 3-1. The Warriors closed the first quarter strong with goals from Heller and Mitarotonda, as the two squads were deadlocked after 15 minutes.
- ESU took its first lead on the scoreboard at 4-3 with Schiemer's first goal of the game top open the scoring in the second quarter. Adelphi scored four of the next five to take a 7-5 lead. In the closing seconds of the first half, Reynolds found the back of the cage with nine ticks left on the clock to make it a 7-6 game at the half in favor of the Panthers.
- Adelphi scored the first three goals of the third period, which extended its scoring run to a 6-1 surge, building a 10-6 advantage with 7:22 left in the quarter. From that point on, the Warrior defense locked down the Panthers, not conceding a goal for the final 27:32 of the game including overtime. Mitarotonda found the back of the cage four times to tie the game with three seconds remaining and force the contest into overtime.
- The Panthers looked to run out the clock in regulation in the waning seconds, but a bad pass found Heller's stick, who passed to Mitarotonda for the equalizing goal with three seconds on the clock.
- Both teams had opportunities in overtime, which lasted 5:10 of game clock, as Schiemer found the twine on a free-position attempt to complete the comeback victory in the extra period.
Up Next
- No. 7 ESU is idle until Saturday, March 16, when the Warriors host Mercyhurst (1-2) for an 11:00 a.m. first draw at Whitenight Field.
