INDIANAPOLIS, IN-  Pace University Women’s Lacrosse is The 2023 NCAA Division II Women’s Lacrosse National Champions! The Setters win the first NCAA Title in program history and the first for Pace Athletics. They complete the season with an upset of the undefeated #1 ranked West Chester Golden Rams.

Pace first played the Florida Southern University Moccasions on May 19 in the National Semifinal. The Setters avenged their first loss of the season with a 22-11 win to reach their first-ever championship game. The Golden Rams kept their perfect season intact earlier in the day with an 18-10 win over Grand Valley State.

West Chester had experience on their side coming into the game. Upon the first draw, it would mark the 11th championship game for the Golden Rams most recently playing in 2019 and winning in 2008.  Pace finally made it to the championship game. They were looking for the trophy on the first try.

The Setters entered the game speeding as they have all season scoring seven goals in the first ten minutes. Graduate Kayla Conway scored the first goal at 14:06. It began a first-half hat trick in the final match of her career. Angelina Porcello also got a hat trick in the first quarter of the first half. In the draw circle, Pace won every single one of the period. When West Chester did get the ball, they could not hold onto it. Six turnovers. It contributed to their 10-0 lead heading into the second.

The bench time did not cool Pace down. They scored three more to have a lead of 13-0 at the 9:00 mark of the second quarter. West Chester got one back courtesy of midfielder Keri Barnett at the 7:53 mark.  The Golden Rams got a second from attacker Lindsay Monigle at 5:45. The lead would not get smaller. Porcello got her fourth of the game to make it 14-2 Setters. Aleya Corretjer in her final game got a free position game to make it 15-2 going into halftime. Through two, Pace outshot West Chester 24 to 5. The Golden Rams committed three more turnovers to dig themselves a deeper hole and conceded seven free position opportunities.

The defense highlighted quarter three. In the first five minutes, both teams had six turnovers. Goalkeeping stood tall as well. Pace had two shots saved. West Chester on their first attempt capitalized. Julia Longwood opened scoring for the Golden Rams. Madeline Edinger scored at 5:45 as did Lindsey Monigle with 12 seconds left. The Setters would struggle in the midfield committing five turnovers and not scoring in the third, just the second time this season they were held a quarter without a goal.

The trends would continue in the final frame. West Chester got two more goals to get the lead under double digits at 15-7 with twelve minutes to go. Emma Rafferty ended Pace’s scoring drought at 11:16 to extend the lead. Hannah Stanislawczyk scored at 10:17 totaling four goals in the first four minutes but the last goal for three minutes. Jolie Urraro scored to make it 17-8.  Stanislawczyk got another to drop it back to nine but with six minutes left. Corretjer and Urraro scored in the final three to secure the Natty for Pace and launch a summer-long celebration.

The final buzzer sounded. The trophy presentation commenced, it being nine years in the making from the inauguration of the Women’s Lacrosse team in 2015. Head Coach Tricia Molfetta finally had her championship. Pace University finally captured its elusive National Title after plenty of trips to the tournaments across all sports. Letdowns in all Pace Athletics programs were forgotten with yesterday’s triumph. 19-9 was the final score, the 16th game opponents scored less than 10.

Leading the team was Aleya Corrtejer with 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points. Angelina Porcello also had 6 points, scoring 5 and assisting once. Conway and Urraro added an assist a piece to their hattricks to finish with 4 points. Sydney Juvelier had a hat trick, finishing with 3 points. Samantha Tanguay made 5 saves on a potent Golden Ram offense. As a team, Pace outshot West Chester 39-18 and forced West Chester to have six more turnovers at 16-10. Their domination in draws persisted to the final game as the Blue and Gold won draw controls 23-7 in the game.

Kayla Conway was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Over four games, she had 9 goals and 6 assists. She was subsequently named to the All-Tournament Team. Joining her were  Juvelier, Corretjer, Porcello, and defender Alexandra Quinn.

An NCAA Championship trophy will soon sit in the Ana and Alfred Goldstein Center. Nine seniors and graduate students end their careers on top. A celebration or ceremony is sure to take place when players can be greeted by students some of who are their friends. On the plane ride back to Pleasantville, there will be multiple smiles and precious cargo.  Forward in time when Hall of Fame inductions open for Pace Athletics, the 2023 Pace University Women’s Lacrosse Team might get in. But these women, coaches, and players will always be National Champions and the First National Champion of Pace University.