May 17, 2009

Box Score|Photo Gallery

Roanoke, VA - The Adelphi University women's lacrosse team became the first school in Division II to capture three National Titles on May 17 in Salem, Virginia on the campus of Roanoke College. The Panthers lead by one goal twenty minutes in, but ripped off six straight goals to enter the half with a 9-2 lead and put the game away on the way to a 16-4 victory. With the win Adelphi closes out the 2009 with a spotless 18-0 record and with their first National Championship since 2006.

The Lady Eagles opened the scoring 5:12 into play as the early action crept along. The Panthers answered back just 10 seconds later when Marissa Mills won the draw and stormed down into the Lock Haven end, beating the goalie to knot the game at one.

Lock Haven re-took the lead, 2-1, 7:56 into the game thanks to a Allison Berger, but Adelphi knotted the game again, 11:36 into the action when Erica Devito found the back of the net off of a Rachel Ray feed. The Panthers took the lead, 3-2, two minutes later as Kaitlyn Carter netted a goal courtesy of another Ray assist.

The score remained 3-2 for the next 10 minutes as both Adelphi's Caitlin Fitzpatrick and Lock Haven's Kira Nuttal stepped up to make stops. Ray beat Nuttal with seven and a half minutes left in the first period, opening the flood gates, sparking a 6-0 run that closed out the half.

Devito tallied three straight goals, two on free position's, as Michelle Ceraso and Carter netted the final two goals of the half, the ninth coming with just 19 seconds on the clock, giving the Panthers a 9-2 edge at the half.

"I thought it was about what we were not doing in the first 20 minutes, I felt like we got off to a slow start," Head Coach Joe Spallina explained when asked about Adelphi's slow start. "But, the TV timeouts helped us to slow down, get focused and get rolling."

Adelphi and Lock Haven opened the second half much like the first, exchanging goals, but a Carter goal off of another Ray helper with 13:20 left in the game sparked a four goal run that included another tally from Carter and a goal from both Nicole Bass and Ceraso.

The Lady Eagles stopped the bleeding with a goal of their own, to pull within 10 goals at 14-4, but Ray and Allison Tumulty closed out the game with back-to-back Panther goals, ensuring Adelphi would set a record for the largest margin of victory in an NCAA Division II Championship game at 16-4.

"it's a tremendous honor to win a National Title and I appreciate the opportunity that Adelphi University and President Dr. Scott has given me," Spallina stated. "Both Dr. Scott and (Athletic Director) Mr. Hartwell have been nothing but supportive and to bring a National Championship back to my alma mater is special."

Ray set a record for most assists in a NCAA Division II Final Four with 12 and also set a record for most career assists with just her total from this weekend. She also tied the record for most points in a tournament with 15 (12 assists and three goals) and earned status as the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.

Devito, Carter, Jackie Bogensberger and Emily Simpson all earned NCAA Division II Final Four All-Tournament honors for their play over the weekend.