Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/3/18
From Press Release
West Chester University’s undefeated women’s lacrosse squad was well-represented when the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference released its 2018 All-PSAC squad Thursday. Head coach Ginny Martino was also named the loop’s coach of the year.
West Chester landed seven on the three all-league squads. Midfielders Sami Barnett (Interboro) and Maggie Stella (Central Bucks East) were joined on the first team by defender Molly Reinhart (Wilson) while attacker Tatum Altman was the lone second team pick. Attacker Tara Morrissey (Bishop Shanahan), midfielder Drew McKinney (Downingtown West) and defender Brenna Lynch (Archbishop Wood) were third team selections.
Barnett makes her third appearance on the all-conference team, but first on the top unit. She was a third-team pick last spring and a second-team selection her freshman season. The Glenolden native leads West Chester in scoring with 52 goals and 70 points. She ranks sixth in the PSAC in scoring as well.
Stella, a junior transfer from Division I Robert Morris, makes her initial appearance on the all-league team. Her play off of draws and in the clearing game has been unmatched around the league. All the while, she has registered 44 goals and 55 points to rank third on the team. Stella leads the squad with 96 draw controls and has caused 29 turnovers and grabbed 28 ground balls.
Reinhart, a sophomore starting for the first time in her career this spring, has made quite an impact on the back line. She has 39 caused turnovers and picked up 39 ground balls. The tall and lanky defender is a big reason that West Chester’s scoring defense is tops in the conference as is the team’s scoring margin. She doesn’t let much get through to the Golden Rams’ goalkeeper.
Altman, a sophomore attacker, is second on the team in scoring with 45 goals and 69 points. The diminutive middie adept at running around the defense and creating highlight-reel goals took her game to another level this spring, giving West Chester’s opponents one more individual for which to account defensively.
Morrissey inherited the keys to the offense from the “X” vacated by graduated senior Dina Cifelli and the sophomore attacker has not disappointed. She is fourth on the team in scoring with 31 goals and 43 points.
Freshman Drew McKinney started all 17 games for the Golden Rams, handling a good portion of the draws. Her impact has been felt right away. The local product from Downingtown West High School scored 14 goals this spring. But, more importantly, the midfielder has 40 ground balls and 53 draw controls to her credit. Those aspects, as well as in the clearing game, is where West Chester has benefitted greatly.
Sophomore defender Brenna Lynch has stepped into her new role as a starter on the back line admirably. She caused 24 turnovers and has 38 ground balls to her credit this spring. Lynch also scored a pair of goals, one on a free position, though that is not her primary focus.
Finally, Martino, in her 21st season on the Golden Rams sideline, was recognized as the PSAC coach of the year for the first time since 2005 and just the third time overall. A recognition long overdue for the all-time winningest Division II women’s lacrosse coach in NCAA history, as well as one of just 10 bench bosses at any level to reach 300 wins, Martino guided her charges to an undefeated season for the first time since 2010 and has them on the verge of the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in her tenure.
West Chester opens play in the PSAC Tournament Friday afternoon against long-time rival Lock Haven at 1 p.m. at Vonnie Gros Field. The game will be live streamed on STRETCH INTERNET.
PSAC WOMEN’S LACROSSE ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name University Cl. Hometown / Previous School
A Sabrina Fusco+^+ Millersville Sr. Glen Mills, Pa. / Garnet Valley
A Krista Mitarotonda East Stroudsburg Fr. Rockaway, N.J. /Morris Knolls
A Taylor Izzo^ Mercyhurst Sr. Buffalo, N.Y. / Fraser
A Ally Burrows+* IUP Jr. Marcellus, N.Y. / Marcellus
M Maggie Stella West Chester Jr. Doylestown, Pa. / Central Bucks East
M Kristin Anderson*^ Mercyhurst Sr. Manorville, N.Y. / Eastport South Manor
M Sami Barnett^+ West Chester Jr. Glenolden, Pa. / Interboro
M Chessie Rahmer* East Stroudsburg Sr. Salfordville, Pa. / Sooderton
D Kayleigh Pokrivka East Stroudsburg Fr. York, Pa. / York Catholic
D Valerie Hertz* Shippensburg Jr. Elders, Md. / North Penn
D Kira Kolb* Mercyhurst So. Watertown, N.Y. / Watertown
D Molly Reinhart West Chester So. Sinking Springs, Pa. / Wilson
GK Emily Bitka^ Slippery Rock Sr. Amherst, N.Y. / Amherst Central
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Name University Cl. Hometown / Previous School
A Hayley Killian Lock Haven Sr. Ridley Park, Pa. / Ridley
A Tatum Altman West Chester So. North Brunswick, N.J. / North Brunswick
A Adriana Greco IUP Jr. Sound Beach, N.Y. / Rocky Point
A Kristen Butzner Millersville Sr. Pasadena, Md. / Chespeake
M Alex O’Herrick* Lock Haven Sr. Barto, Pa. / Boyerstown
M Emma Rufolo* East Stroudsburg Jr. Woodstock, Md. / Garnder-Webb
M Leilani King+^* Gannon Sr. St. Albans, Vt. / Bellows Free Academy
M Tia Torchia^ Slippery Rock Jr. Pittsburgh, Pa. / Seton La-Salle
D Natalie Sukanick+^ Millersville Jr. Stevens, Pa. / Gardner-Webb
D Rachel Shaw Slippery Rock Fr. Bucks County,Pa. / Central Bucks West
D Mollie Gallagher+ IUP Jr. Evans City, Pa. / Seneca Valley
D Tiffany Diachynsky Bloomsburg Fr. Barto, Pa. / Boyerstown Area
GK Angela DiPasquale+ Bloomsburg So. Paramus, N.J. / Paramus
THIRD TEAM
Pos. Name University Cl. Hometown / Previous School
A Katie Costanza Lock Haven R-Sr. Denver, Pa. / Cocalico
A Callie Kavanaugh Millersville Sr. Hanover, Pa. / South Western
A Dana Laulis Lock Haven Sr. Garnet Valley, Pa. / Garnet Valley
A Tara Morrissey West Chester So. Downingtown, Pa. / Bishop Shamaham
M Hana Cicerelle East Stroudsburg So. Broadway, N.J. / Warren Hills
M Ashley Gochenaur Lock Haven Sr. Lancaster, Pa. / Lampeter-Strasburg
M Katie Martyn IUP Jr. Annapolis, Md. / Archibishop Spalding
M Drew Mckinney West Chester Fr. Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown West
D Brenna Lynch West Chester So. Richboro, Pa. / Archbishop Wood
D Devon Fitzpatrick Kutztown Fr. Marlton, N.J. / Cherokee
D Jasa Lorah Millersville So. Stevens,Pa. / Cocalico
D Abby Nocito Bloomsburg Jr. Mount Laurel, N.J. / Lenape
GK Tatyana Petteway* East Stroudsburg So. Nanuet, N.Y. / Albertus Magnus
*Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection
+Indicates previous All-PSAC Third Team selection
Athlete of the Year: Emily Bitka, Slippery Rock
Freshman of the Year: Krista Mitarotonda, East Stroudsburg
Coach of the Year: Ginny Martino, West Chester