SMI SPORTS/ May 09, 2015

NEW YORK (SMIWIRE,05.09.15) The national defending champion " Adelphi Women's lacrosse team "  defeated Stonehill College, 10-6 in the first round of the NCAA div II and advanced to the NCAA Final-Four during a rainy and cloudy saturday's afternoon @ Motamet Field , Adelphi University.With the win, the Panthers improved to an impressive season record of 19-1 & will have an opportunity to repeat & conquer another national crown in the 2015 NCAA women's lacrosse Div II championship taking place next weekend @ Kerr Stadium in Salem, Virginia.Adelphi went to the attack from the start with a combined solid defensive line and explosive offensive attack by scoring 8 goals in the first half.The Panthers were led Alexa Froccaro  who scored 2 goals and had 3 assists finishing with 5 points overall in the game.Also Emily Keesling  added 2 goals with 2 assists and Jacqueline Jahelka contributing with 2 goals for Adelphi (19-1). Ryley Weber and Kaitlyn Stackpoleled the Panther defense with four caused turnovers each, while Weber also picked up four ground balls. Danielle Jaycox also had a strong day all-around by contributing a goal, causing three turnovers and also picking up four ground balls. Stonehill (15-5) got two goals apiece from Elizabeth Vetter, Rebecca Matheson and Emily Kessel.

Jahelka's two goals came back-to-back to open the game as the first was unassisted and the second came off a pass from Rachel O'Brien; with that effort, the Panthers held a 2-0 lead after just 3:26. After both teams went scoreless for nearly 10 minutes, a five-goal run with scores from Danielle Montano, Froccaro, Rachel Aitkens and O'Brien saw the lead increase to 7-0 with 4:50 to play. While Stonehill got two goals back in the closing four mintues, the Panthers' last goal of the half came off the stick of Keesling to put Adelphi in the locker room with an 8-2 lead.

Vetter and Kessel combined for two goals to open the first half to close the gap to 8-4, and put the pressue on as the Skyhawk defense kept the Panthers of the board for nearly 20 minutes. Keesling's second score of the day came with 10:31 remaining, while Jaycox's came man-up with 2:12 remaining. With the Panthers leading 10-4 Stonehill tacked on two more goals, but eventually ran out of time to complete the comeback.

With the victory, Adelphi advances to the Final Four at Kerr Stadium in Salem, Va. next weekend. In the semifinals, the Panthers will face the Le Moyne College Dolphins in a rematch of the Northeast-10 Championship game.