toP 5 FoR 2014 1. LIU POST
The Pioneers lose plenty, including top scorer Ashley Olen and goalie Dominique Mosca. But you can’t pick against LIU Post as long as Jackie Sileo, already the top all-time scorer in Division II, remains in the fold.
2. ADELPHI
Gutted two years ago by the departure of Joe Spallina and four prime-time players, the Panthers are back. Credit coach Rob Grella for finding Rachel O’Brien (75 goals), Camille Rosellini and goalie Taylor Hayes — who came up huge in the second half against Le Moyne and LIU Post in NCAAs — late in the recruiting game.
3. LIMESTONE
Sarah Oor is the best feeder this side of Sileo. Look for Katie Farrell and Sam McCarrick to step up as the primary beneficiaries. With
Brie-Claire Drost chose LIU Post over Adelphi and wound up with two NCAA titles to show for it.
they began seeing then-Adelphi coach Joe spallina everywhere.
“I went to a high school lacrosse game and he was there,” senior midfielder Abbie Ross said. “He was nice about it because he won, but for me...” she let the end of that thought dangle.
“He’d come into my bagel store,” senior midfielder Brie- Claire Drost said. “‘oh hey BC,’” with the rings.” Nowhere — not the gym, not work, not breakfast with friends — were the Pioneers free from the reminder that they were No. 2. “We couldn’t avoid the players or the coaches,” Ross said. “Anywhere.”
For Ross, who played for spallina in high school, and Drost, who picked LIU Post over Adelphi, it started to look like they’d chosen poorly. In 2011, the Pioneers missed the NCAA tournament completely. they confronted the likelihood of four years as the second-best team in Division II, without even a trip to the NCAA championship game. But, suddenly, the side effects subsided. Adelphi broke up. spallina left for stony Brook and took the best players with him. LIU Post quietly laid the groundwork for a dynasty of its own, 10 miles down the road.
In 2012, Ashley olen returned from an ACL tear with 74 goals as LIU Post captured its first NCAA title since 2007. this year, olen added 89 goals, became the Pioneers’ all- time leading scorer and was named the NCAA tournament’s most outstanding player.
No one had a bigger impact on the turnaround than Jackie sileo, who arrived on campus before the 2011 season. Unlike
A Publication of US Lacrosse
Goalie Taylor Hayes is a rising star for Adelphi.
two wins over Rollins, including in the NCAA semifinals, the Saints regained their place as the team to beat in the South.
4. ROLLINS The Tars’ fun-loving, high- risk, high-reward nature is contagious. It also may have cost them late in an overtime loss to Limestone in the NCAA semifinals. Caroline Lamere (54 points) should help them get back there.
5. LE MOYNE
Despite fielding 14 freshmen, the Dolphins beat Adelphi twice. Goalie Molly Marbut ranked sixth in Division II in goals against average (6.99).
the seniors, sileo was fully aware of Adelphi’s dominance when she chose LIU Post. Her signing altered the landscape. As a junior in 2013, sileo had 61 goals and 117 assists. she’s already Division II’s all-time leading scorer after surpassing high school teammate Claire Petersen — one of the former Adelphi players who followed spallina to stony Brook. LIU Post won the 2012 NCAA title despite losing four players to season-ending injuries. mosca entered 2013 with a broken thumb and wrist, but this year the breaks finally started going the Pioneers’ way. “We fall apart but we always put ourselves back together,” mosca said. LIU Post has not lost since may 5, 2012, a streak spanning 23 games and two NCAA championships. Its seven seniors — Drost, Ross, olen, mosca, Bridgett soares, Aimee Capps and megan Noone — graduated as back-to- back champions.
Never was the shift more evident than in this year’s North Region final at stevenson University. there was Adelphi, scrappy underdog, trying to play the role of giant killer, throwing rocks at Goliath in the form of a 59-plus minute faceguard on sileo. sileo broke free for a millisecond and scored the game- winner with 5.3 seconds remaining, sending LIU Post back to the title game. It was the kind of how-did-that-happen play that dynasties are built on. the next day, the Pioneers rallied to defeat Limestone 10-7. Division II has come full circle. LIU Post now is the team everyone wants to beat.
But the Pioneers have perspective. they know what it’s like to be looking up at a dynasty.
“It could have easily been switched around,” Drost said.
“We could have lost and we could have been upset just like they were. so, my heart does go out to them. But I’m so happy that we’re not them this year.” LM
July 2013 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 57
©GREG WALL (TH)
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