PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University women's lacrosse team picked up the victory Saturday, April 29, defeating Saint Michael's College 21-7. The team celebrated its nine graduating players prior to the start of the game, with midfielders Jennifer Sommer (Lake Grove, N.Y./Centereach), Emma Rafferty (Bay Shore, N.Y./Islip), Aleya Corretjer (Thiells, N.Y./North Rockland), Kayla Conway (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh), attacks Jolie Urraro (Sayville, N.Y./Connetquot), Sydney Juvelier (Centereach, N.Y./Centereach), Katie Smaldone (Sussex, N.J./Vernon Township), and defenders Delilah Doyle (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon Senior) and Lindsey Gelderman (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East) being honored before the start.
The Setters (15-1, 12-0 NE10) were in control from the opening draw, starting with three first quarter goals by grad student midfielder Emma Rafferty (Bay Shore, N.Y./Islip), who tied the single-season program record with 68 goals Saturday. Conway added two in the period, while Juvelier, Urraro, Corretjer and junior midfielder Angelina Porcello (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester) each put in one for the Pace, who took a 9-1 lead into the second.
Juvelier, who had her best game of her collegiate career with five goals and six points on the day, scored three during the second quarter for the Setters, who outscored the Purple Knights (2-13, 0-12 NE10) 5-1 in the period. Conway and Rafferty scored one apiece for the home team, who held a commanding 14-2 advantage after 30 minutes of play.
The third quarter was more tightly contested, with Pace outscoring Saint Michael's 4-3. Hope Alto scored a pair of goals for the visitors, while junior attack Margaret Flocco (Patterson, N.Y./Carmel) picked up her first of the day just past the five-minute mark. Corretjer, Juvelier and Urraro added one more each, putting Setters ahead by 13 goals heading to the fourth.
Freshman attack Abby O'Connor scored early in the fourth for Pace, while sophomore attack Alyssa Dvorznak (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) scored her first of the season as well. Then in the final minutes, senior defender Lindsey Gelderman (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East) got a free-position attempt and converted it for the first goal of her collegiate career in the final game of the regular season. Gelderman's goal was the last of the game, as the Setters took a 21-7 victory to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NE10 for the first time in program history.
Up Next
Pace will host the first round of the NE10 Conference Championships, competing in the quarterfinal round Tuesday, May 2. The Setters' opponent and time are TBD.
