ESU - East Stroudsburg University

05/16/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/16/2022 08:47

ESU Women’s Lacrosse Wins Atlantic Region Championship, Set for NCAA DII Final 4 in Missouri

EAST STROUDSBURG -- Led by an impressive seven goals from sophomore , including the game-winner in overtime, the third-ranked East Stroudsburg University lacrosse downed rival sixth-ranked West Chester, 13-12, earning its second consecutive and third overall Atlantic Region Championship.

The Warriors (19-1) advance to the NCAA Semifinals for the second consecutive season and the third time over the past four seasons. The Golden Rams close the 2022 season with a 16-3 record.

Tied 12-12 after 60 minutes, West Chester earned the draw control to begin the extra period before caused a turnover. Fitzpatrick picked up the ground ball and fired to LeDuc, who found Mitarotonda on a breakaway for the game-winning goal.

BACK-TO-BACK ATLANTIC REGION CHAMPIONS!

EMILY MITAROTONDA WITH THE GAME WINNER IN OVERTIME!

Unbelievable finish to an unbelievable rivalry. #WhereWarriorsBelongpic.twitter.com/wr2hZMj0X0

- ESU Warriors (@ESUWarriors) May 15, 2022

Notables

  • Mitarotonda's seven goals matches her career and season high, which she set at Shepherd earlier this season. She also earned eight draw controls. She scored six of ESU's eight second half goals to lift ESU to the dramatic win.
  • Completing the three-headed monster were , who posted three goals and two assists along with , who scored a goal and added three assists.
  • Also finding the back of the cage were and .
  • tallied her third career assist and first since 2019. Also adding helpers were and .
  • Defensively, caused a team-best four turnovers and scooped four ground balls.
  • Before being charged with her second yellow card in the first half, Pokrivka had caused three turnovers and scooped four ground balls.
  • ESU GK (W, 12-1) made seven saves in the victory.
  • 2022 marks the first season that ESU earned both a PSAC Championship (2017, 2022) and an Atlantic Region Championship (2018, 2021, 2022).
  • Mitarotonda expanded her single season program record to 82 goals on the season and now trails teammate (103 points) by just one point for the Warriors program record for points in a season.
  • West Chester was led by Lindsay Monigle with seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) and Hanna Stanislawczyk's five goals. Jessica Gorr made 12 saves in an impressive effort.

How it Happened

  • It was West Chester that earned momentum first, scoring three goals in the first 10 minutes. ESU countered, scoring its first goal of the first quarter with just 25 seconds to go on a LeDuc shot. The Warriors kept momentum, tying the game with a pair of early second quarter goals from Fitzpatrick and Neufield.
  • After West Chester retook the lead at 4-3, Mitarotonda scored her first to close the first half scoring.
  • With the game tied at 4-4 after two quarters, WCU opened the second half scoring before the Warriors scored three consecutive, with Graffeo, Mitarotonda and Fitzpatrick finding the back of the cage to lift ESU to its first lead.
  • West Chester halted the run with a goal, as the two squads combined for 11 fourth quarter goals. The Warriors held a game-best three goal lead with 9:30 left in regulation, as WCU came storming back with four of the next five goals to tie the game at 11-11. Mitarotonda broke the tie with a woman up goal, but just 35 seconds later, West Chester knotted the game with 3:01 left.
  • The last three minutes remained scoreless, as ESU headed to overtime for the first time since defeating Mercyhurst, 8-7, in the 2019 PSAC Semifinals on May 3, 2019.
Gallery: (5-15-2022) 2022 Atlantic Region Champs

Up Next

ESU will face No. 1 Queens with a trip to the national championship game on the line on Friday, May 20 at 5:00 p.m. EST at Lindenwood University's Harlen C. Hunter Stadium in St. Charles, Mo. The national championship game will be played on Sunday, May 22 at Hunter Stadium.