ROCHESTER, N.Y. – On Thursday afternoon, Pace University Women's Lacrosse saw its memorable 2026 season come to a close, falling to Florida Southern College, 12-5, in the NCAA Division II Semifinals at Judson Stadium. The Setters finished the year at 16-6 overall after making their second NCAA Semifinal appearance in program history, advancing to the Final Four behind a postseason run that included wins over Mercy and Adelphi University.
Florida Southern opened the scoring with two goals in the first quarter, but Pace stayed within reach and answered late in the frame.
Jaime Petrullo put the Setters on the board with a man-up goal at the 1:13 mark, cutting the deficit to 2-1 after the opening 15 minutes. The Blue and Gold kept the first quarter tight defensively, forcing six Florida Southern turnovers while holding the Mocs to four shots.
Pace carried that momentum into the second quarter and briefly moved in front.
Mackenzie Carita finished a man-up opportunity off a feed from
Marissa Doty to tie the game at 2-2 before Carita struck again from
Annie Sheehan to give the Setters a 3-2 lead with 7:02 left in the half. Florida Southern answered later in the quarter, sending the game into halftime tied at 3-3.
The third quarter proved decisive. Florida Southern opened the second half with four straight goals to build a 7-3 lead before Doty stopped the run off an assist from Sheehan at the 2:40 mark. The Mocs added one more late in the period to take an 8-4 advantage into the fourth.
Florida Southern continued its push in the final quarter, scoring four straight goals to extend the margin to 12-4. Doty added the final goal of the season for Pace with 1:50 remaining, closing out another standout performance in a decorated postseason run.
Carita and Doty each scored twice to lead the Setters, while Petrullo added one goal. Sheehan finished with two assists, and Doty added one assist for a team-high three points. Pace totaled 19 shots, put 11 on goal and went 20-for-23 on clears.
Defensively,
Sarah Scheidel turned in a strong effort with four ground balls and three caused turnovers, while
Camryn Smith collected five ground balls and made five saves in goal. Carita and Sheehan each added three ground balls, and the Setters finished with a 21-20 edge in ground balls while forcing 21 Florida Southern turnovers.
Following the NCAA Division II Women's Lacrosse Championship,
Marissa Doty and
Sarah Scheidel were named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Doty earned recognition for her offensive production throughout the postseason, while Scheidel was honored for her defensive impact.
Thursday's NCAA Semifinal marked the end of another landmark season for the Setters, who returned to the national stage under Head Coach
Tricia Molfetta and continued to cement themselves among the top programs in Division II.
Pace's run included a dramatic NCAA opening-round win over Mercy and a statement quarterfinal victory at Adelphi, helping the Blue and Gold reach the Final Four for the second time in program history.
Overall, the 2026 campaign added another chapter to the program's rise, as the Setters battled through one of the toughest postseason paths in the country and once again proved they belong among the nation's elite. With another deep NCAA Tournament run, a second Final Four appearance, and a roster that delivered in some of the season's biggest moments, Pace closed the year having strengthened its place on the national stage heading into 2027.
