Adelphi too much for WCU in NCAA title game

Fourth-ranked Adelphi jumped all over fifth-ranked West Chester en route to an 11-5 victory in the NCAA Division II Women’s Lacrosse National Championship Game at the Grand Valley State University Lacrosse Stadium Sunday afternoon.

Adelphi (19-3) scored the first six goals of the game and was in control throughout, dominating possession time all afternoon. West Chester (20-3) saw its 14game winning streak come to a close with the loss. Adelphi improves to 9-1 in national championship games while West Chester falls to 2-8.

Downingtown West grad Ryan McKinney ended the bleeding at 9:56 of the first half. However, the Golden Rams’ inability to win draw controls squelched any momentum. Adelphi added a pair of goals before the break to take an 8-1 lead into the locker room.

Devon Mela scored in the first nine minutes of the second half for the Rams and the score stood at 8-2. The transfer from Albright netted a pair of West Chester goals in the second half, and McKinney quickly added another as the Golden Rams mounted a small rally with 11 minutes left in the game.

Adelphi’s Kole Pollock scored her third goal of the game at 7:53 of the second half, and it came with just one second left on the shot clock. That tally was the nail in the proverbial coffin, making it a 9-4 game. Adelphi added a free position goal, and Pollock notched her fourth of the day in an extraattacker situation to increase the Panthers’ lead to 11-4.

Adelphi’s defense kept Sami Barnett off the scorecard, and Maggie Stella (Doylestown, Pa./ Central Bucks East) didn’t etch her name into the scoring column until under three minutes remained in the game.

The loss marked the first time all year that West Chester lost a game in regulation time. Its two previous losses this season came in overtime.

Adult Baseball

ENGLUNDS 6, THE JAYS 5 >> Tim Kurucz delivered a clutch two-out single to plate Dom Ficca with the winning run as Englunds remained unbeaten (4-0-1), outlasting the Jays 6-5 at Hoopes Park on Sunday in West Chester Adult Baseball League action. Sean Bond led a 10-hit attack for Englunds with three hits and two RBI, with Dom Ficca chipping in with two hits, while Reyce Curnane, Joe Poma and Rozick each had two hits for the Jays, who tallied 11 hits vs. winning pitcher Dave Slusser. Slusser tossed a complete game, striking out 11. Andrew Benham pitched well for the Jays, registering six strikeouts and keeping Englunds hitters off balance all day. The Jays dropped to 0-5 with the loss.

PHOTO BY ANDY VISOCKIS Downingtown West grad Drew McKinney in the first half against Adelphi in the national championship game.