Senior Heather Sullivan finished with three goals this afternoon, including her 190 career marker. (PHOTO BY Marcello Cutti Jr./Starlight Illustrated) |
Sileo has hand in 12 of 15 Pioneers goals with six goals and six assists
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 11, 2013) – Top-seeded and defending national champions LIU Post, ranked No. 1 in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II poll, got its title defense started on a winning note with a 15-9 triumph over fourth-seeded and 9th-ranked Stonehill College in quarterfinal round action of the 2013 NCAA Tournament at Hickox Field today.
LIU Post (18-0, 7-0 ECC) advances to next weekend's NCAA Championship weekend, hosted by Stevenson University in Owings Mills, Md., where it will face third-seeded and No. 5-ranked Adelphi University (18-1, 11-1 NE-10 in a national semifinal round clash on Saturday. The Panthers advanced with a 9-8 upset win at second-seeded and 4th-ranked Le Moyne College in today's other national quarterfinal in Syracuse, N.Y. Stonehill (13-7, 10-2 NE-10) closes its season out having made its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance.
Junior Jackie Sileo (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) played a role in 12 of LIU Post's 15 goals, after having a hand in 13 of the Pioneers' 15 markers during the regular season encounter between the two, by registering six goals and six assists with two ground balls this afternoon.
Senior Ashley Olen (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) added four goals for LIU Post, while junior Katie Rotan (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) contributed four points with a goal and three assists as well as three draw controls. Senior Abbie Ross (Miller Place, N.Y./Rocky Point) netted three goals and collected three draw controls, while junior Morgan Chiarenza (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown East) chipped in with a goal and assists.
Senior All-American Kelsey Reilly led the Skyhawks with four goals. (PHOTO BY Marcello Cutti Jr./Starlight Illustrated) |
Senior Dominique Mosca (Merrick, N.Y./Sanford H. Calhoun) preserved the win with six saves in goal for LIU Post. The Pioneers finished with a 31-18 advantage for shots, including 19-8 in the first half to build a 10-5 halftime advantage. LIU Post converted all eight of its clear attempts and was 1-for-3 on free position shots, while Stonehill held a 14-11 edge in draw controls. Sophomore Ashley Armstrong (Northborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) posted four stops for the Skyhawks.
Senior All-Americans Kelsey Reilly (Hingham, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) and Kayla Green (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) led Stonehill with four point days. Reilly netted four goals and collected ten draw controls, leaving her one shy of her own single-season school record with 119 for the season. Green contributed a goal and three assists for the Skyhawks.
Senior Heather Sullivan (Andover, Mass./Andover) scored three goals for Stonehill, while sophomore Elizabeth Lane (Sandwich, Mass./Bishop Stang) chipped in with a goal.
LIU Post scored two of the first three goals to take an early lead after four and a half minutes with a goal and assist from Sileo. Stonehill responded with two quick goals to take its first lead of the afternoon with 22:44 left as Green registered a goal and assist for the squad.
Post took control from there, reeling off a seven goal run to open a six goal lead (9-3) after Olen's 85th goal of the season with 7:59 remaining in the half. Olen had all four of her goals during that stretch, while Sileo added five points with two goals and three assists during the run. Stonehill closed back within four (9-5) with goals from Reilly and Sullivan inside of five minutes to play in the frame. Rotan sent the Pioneers into halftime with a five goal cushion (10-5) after Rotan's marker with 37-seconds left in the frame.
Lane opened the second half scoring to get Stonehill back within four (10-6) 6:22 into the second half. Sileo reclaimed LIU Post's six goal lead with 21:51 to play after back to back markers by Sileo. Stonehill wouldn't make another run as the teams trading goals for the final 18 minutes. Sullivan scored a pair of goals for the Skyhawks around Sileo's 55th goal of the year. The Pioneers ran their lead to15-8 with goals by Chiarenza and Ross with 6:43 remaining.
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