SALEM, Va. — Adelphi perhaps unexpectedly made a game of Saturday afternoon’s Division II women’s lacrosse championship. Yet unflappable Tampa maintained focus when the action slowed after intermission and made its second title victory in a row.
The Spartans were up seven and seemingly en route to a blowout after a quarter. A change at goalkeeper for Adelphi seemed to settle its players’ nerves and Jillian McFadden was outstanding the rest of the way in cage. Tampa’s lead dwindled to five in the third quarter but the rally fizzled down the stretch.
With that the Spartans earned the 15-9 win at Roanoke College’s Kerr Stadium, claiming their second consecutive championship. The pair of trophies are the only two women’s lacrosse crowns for the school and they each came at the expense of Adelphi.
The teams met also early during the regular season in Florida and Tampa had a 14-goal triumph. Tournament most outstanding player Peyton Howell scored four goals on eight shots on goal for the winners, as eight players tallied goals for the well-rounded and explosive Spartans (21-1). Savvy Barbosa was tough between the pipes going the distance to record 15 saves on 30 Adelphi shots.
The Panthers (19-4) had a 12-game win streak snapped. It was the 12th time in 17 final four appearances Adelphi has played for the championship, winning a record nine.
There was no stopping Tampa for most of the contest.
“We have a lot of nervous energy at the beginning of the game,” Spartans coach Kelly Gallagher said. “When we connect, we’re definitely like a snowball going downhill kind of team. When we’re connecting and start scoring, it’s a little hard to stop.”
Multiply the impact when the other team is still finding its footing.
“Quite honestly we got off to a dreadful start,” Adelphi coach Pat McCabe said. “We did not have any aspect of our game in the first quarter. True to form, our kids weathered that.”
Credit the switch from starting keeper Madison Marchetta to McFadden for putting the struggling Panthers on track. Marchetta faced eight shots without a save. McFadden kept making plays with stick, feet and body and ended with 13 stops.
“A goalie change should have happened,” said Howell, who ended with 75 goals for the season. “We have to find out what she’s like and it takes a few shots to finally understand. A goalie can sit out, watch what we’re doing and see what you’re like as a shooter, and she did a really good job of that.”
McFadden confirmed her powers of observation were sound.
“I kind of expected the shot a little early,” she said. “You can tell when a shooter wants to get the goal when they start driving a little bit early in the game and you know they’re a little bit hungry.”
Tampa’s Mary Kate Person Sophi Wrisk, Sarah Engle, and Maddie Szyluk each had a pair of goals to go with tallies by Grace Lichtenberger and Josie Bullock. Kaylee VanVladricken came off the bench to contribute a team-leading four of her squad’s seven assists.
“We were great with momentum offensively this season and it was so much fun to watch so many goals get scored in so many different ways,” Gallagher said.
Tampa led 11-2 on a Howell goal with 5 minutes 50 seconds left in the first half. The Spartans subsequently went cold and did not find the goal again until 4:33 of the third.
Meanwhile Ashley Kolomechuk scored two of her three goals as Adelphi went on a 4-0 run to give the defending champs something to think about.
Kolomechuk joined teammates Amanda Lee and Sonny Lionetti on the all-tournament team. Howell, Barbosa, Person, Isabella Avila, and Lexi Waters made honors for Tampa.
Olivia Blado and Malaena Michielin were the Indianapolis picks. Grace Rotter and Lily Ventresca made it from Slippery Rock.
The final championship box score read Kolomechuk scoring thrice to pace her team. Rita Sefransky and Alexandra Leggio each had two scores.
“We kept fighting for the next three quarters but it was too big to overcome,” McCabe said. “This happens once in a while. It’s terrible when it happens in the big game but give credit to Tampa. They played hard, they’re athletic, and they were ready to go at the opening whistle. We weren’t.
“We paid the price for that. That’s what it is. It doesn’t minimize or diminish in any way what this group accomplished this year. I told them in the locker room and I’ll say it again. Nobody gave this team a chance.”
