WINTER PARK, Fla. – For the fourth time in six years and the third time over the past four seasons, the East Stroudsburg University lacrosse team (14-6) will compete for a spot in the NCAA Division II National Championship game, taking on first-seed Adelphi (18-3) on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. at Showalter Field. 

Ticketing Info

• Tickets are available to purchased online here.
• Cashless Event
• Adults: $7.00
• Children (12 and under): $5.00

How To Follow

Those unable to attend can watch the Warriors take on the Panthers via NCAA.com . Live stats are available on statbroadcast.com. Follow @ESUWarriors on Instagram and X for live updates.

How ESU Got Here

After hearing its name for the seventh consecutive season during the NCAA DII Selection Show on May 12th, the Warriors dispatched Kutztown 11-7 in the NCAA First Round and stunned undefeated West Chester with a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the NCAA DII Atlantic Region Championship game. ESU has now earned all four of its NCAA DII Atlantic Region Championships in program history over the past six seasons. ESU entered the NCAA Tournament with a combined 1-3 record against Kutztown and West Chester before eliminating both PSAC East foes from the postseason.

Last Time Out

Facing rival West Chester for the sixth consecutive meeting in the Atlantic Region Championship game, ESU trailed WCU 10-5 in the third quarter and 12-9 with 10:50 remaining. The resilient Warriors scored four unanswered goals over the final 7:01 of game clock, including the game-winner with just 53 seconds remaining to advance to the NCAA Semifinals. Along with four goals and four assists by Mitarotonda, the balanced offense featured seven goal scorers, with Lauren Hallman (2G, 1A), Courney Reynolds, and Mac Maloney all ripping two goals into the back of the cage.

WCU RECAP | WCU BOX SCORE 

Familiar Foe

ESU and Adelphi met in the third game of the season back on March 9 at Whitenight Field, with the Warriors prevailing 11-10 in an overtime thriller in the rain. The Warriors trailed 10-6 in the third quarter, before shutting down the Panthers’ offense over the final 27:32 of game clock. Emily Mitarotonda recorded seven goals, including the final three goals of regulation. She also contributed an assist, seven caused turnovers, five ground balls and five draw controls. With ESU trailing 10-9, Adelphi looked to run out the clock, but a fatal pass that landed into the stick net of Campbell Heller, who passed the ball to Mitarotonda for the equalizer with just three seconds left. Hannah Schiemer registered the game-winning goal with 50 seconds remaining in the first overtime period, as ESU escaped with the 11-10 win. 

ADELPHI RECAP | ADELPHI BOX SCORE

The Series

Along with its meeting in 2024, ESU and AU have met a total of four times, with the home team earning victories in all four matchups. This will be the first postseason meeting between Warriors and Panthers.

• March 9, 2024: ESU 11-10, at Whitenight Field 
• March 3, 2019: Adelphi 14-10, at Adelphi
• April 3, 2003: Adelphi 13-6, at Adelphi 
• April 4, 2002: ESU 11-8, at Whitenight Field

About the Warriors

Among 108 NCAA DII teams, ESU ranks first in save percentage, sixth in ground balls per game, and boasts a stout defense that ranks 14th in goals-against average. PSAC East Athlete of the Year Emily Mitarotonda ranks first nationally in free-position goals per game, third in goals and goals per game, fourth in points per game, sixth in caused turnovers per game, and 19th in ground balls per game. GK Abby Simonetti has been a brick wall this season, leading the nation in save percentage and saves, third in saves per game, and eighth in goals-against average. Her 226 saves this season rank as the second-most in a single season at ESU, trailing only Julie Smith’s 2006 season of 268 saves.

About the Panthers

Similar to ESU, Adelphi upset an undefeated team on the road in Pace in the regional title game that appeared in the 2023 NCAA DII National Championship. The Panthers enter the NCAA Semifinals with an 18-3 record, with losses to the Warriors (11-10 OT) and Pace in the regular season (12-11) and the NE10 Championship game (16-14). The Panthers got revenge in the East Region Championship game, taking down the Setters, 13-10, in Pleasantville, N.Y. The Panthers have a top-15 scoring offense (14th) and scoring defense (11th). They sport a balanced offense, with four players ranked in the top-160 in points in NCAA DII, led by Danielle Marino’s 91 points on the season. Four players have recorded between 55 and 41 goals and seven Panthers have totaled 50 points. GK Jillian McFadden ranks 32nd in save percentage and 14th in goals against average. Adelphi is competing for their 10th national title, leading all of NCAA Division II with nine national titles. The Panthers have hoisted the trophy in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019. 

Emily Mitarotonda Records

Mitarotonda has rewritten ESU’s and PSAC’s record book during her illustrious Warrior career. She now holds ESU and PSAC records for goals with 311 in her career, which ranks second in NCAA Division II history and is the most for a player at one program. She is ESU’s all-time points leader with 389 career points, needing just two points to surpass West Chester’s Stephanie Kienle (2005-08), who posted 390 career points.

In 2024, Mitarotonda has set ESU (her own) and PSAC single-season records for goals (95) and broke the Warriors’ single-season points record (her own).

All-America 

The IWLCA announced on Wednesday that Mitarotonda and Simonetti were selected to the IWLCA All-America First Team. Mitarotonda becomes the first Warrior in program history to earn IWLCA All-America honors in all four seasons from the IWLCA and joins rare company at ESU to accomplish the feat. Mitarotonda becomes the fourth Warrior across all sports in athletic department history to earn All-America honors in all four seasons for the same organization/event, joining Karen Linck (1975-78, swimming, 50 free, 50 fly), Bob Seagraves (1976-79, swimming, 200 IM) and Kevin Ransom (1987-90, men's gymnastics, All-Around). Mitarotonda was named to the IWLCA All-America Second Team as a freshman and has been selected to the IWLCA All-America First Team each of the past three seasons.

Simonetti joins Mitarotonda on the IWLCA All-America First Team after a tremendous first season in the Red and Black. On the season, Simonetti ranks first in save percentage and saves, while ranking third in saves per game and eighth in goals-against average. The Millington, Md. native becomes the first IWLCA First Team All-America goalkeeper in program history, joining Riley DiFiore (2023, 2nd Team), Tatyana Petteway (3x, 2017, 2019, 2021) and Stacey Heisey (1998, 2nd Team) as Warrior goalkeepers to earn All-America nods.

DII Festival

The Warriors join Adelphi, Tampa and Regis in the NCAA Semifinals, along with NCAA Division II’s men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf and eight softball teams at the NCAA Division II Spring Festival in Orlando, Fla. ESU was honored with the Team GPA Award at the opening ceremony on Monday. The Warriors spent time on Tuesday afternoon with its NCAA Division II Community Service initiative at Walt Disney World Boys and Girls Club, teaching the sport of lacrosse to the club members. 

ESU in the NCAA Tournament

The Warriors are making their seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, having not earned a tournament berth before 2017. ESU holds a record of 11-6 in NCAA Tournament contests, including a win over Kutztown and West Chester in 2024. ESU has now collected regional titles in 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2024 and looks to advance to the program’s second national title game in three seasons after reaching the final in 2022. ESU is 1-2 all-time in the NCAA Semifinal round, falling to Florida Southern (20-14) in 2018 and Queens (N.C.) (17-14) in 2021. The Warriors were successful in its most recent trip in 2022, avenging its 2021 loss to now NCAA Division I Queens with a 13-12 overtime thrilling win. Then freshman Sophia Graffeo recorded a game-winning woman-down in overtime to advance the Warriors to its first national title contest. 

What’s Next

The winner between the Warriors and Panthers advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game on Saturday at noon at Showalter Field. ESU or Adelphi will face the victor of Tampa and Regis for the national championship.