Adelphi men gain berth in national final

GAFFNEY, S.C. -- Joe Vitale ripped a hole in the goal net and then Adelphi ripped a hole in Limestone's defense.

Triggered by Vitale's powerful shot, Adelphi scored five goals in less than six minutes of the third quarter to take the lead Saturday and went on to beat Limestone, 14-11, in a NCAA Division II men's lacrosse semifinal.

Fifth-ranked Adelphi (16-2) will play for the national title next Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore against third-ranked Mercyhurst (13-2), which upset top-ranked C.W. Post, the two-time defending champion.

Vitale, a junior attack who leads Adelphi in points, ripped the strings to move the Panthers within 6-4 of Limestone (15-2) early in the third. After a brief delay for some equipment mending, he scored again 40 seconds later. The Panthers added three more quick ones, two within 31 seconds, to go ahead for good at 8-6.

Vitale said it was the first time he poked a hole in the net during a game since a preseason scrimmage last year.

"It probably got us a little more emotional and fired up than a regular goal," he said.

Coach Gordon Purdie said the nets on the practice field need to be replaced regularly because of Vitale and Co. "At 104 mph,'' Purdie said, "it can happen often."

Vitale and Danny Blau each had three goals and Michael Rossi, Kieran Riegel and Shane Wynn added two each. Kevin Kennedy and Doug Quednau also scored.

Blau, a junior attack, had a couple of momentum-stopping goals in the fourth quarter. He answered after Limestone cut its deficit to 9-8 and again after the Saints got to within 11-9 at the seven-minute mark.

Adelphi junior goalie Eric Janssen helped maintain that advantage by holding Limestone without a goal for more than 16 minutes from the third quarter into the fourth, allowing only one goal in the third and finishing with 15 saves.

Adelphi is the most decorated program in Division II, with seven national championships and 15 appearances in the Final Four. But the Panthers haven't been to the final since winning the title in 2001.

"I know when I committed to Adelphi, I told [Purdie], 'We're going back to the national championship,' " Vitale said. "That's one of the reasons I came here. I know that's why Danny came here and that's why Eric came here, too."

Purdie, in his fourth season as head coach, was a player for Adelphi from 1987-89 and twice was named an All-American. During that time, the Panthers made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament but never won a championship.

"There's been a little bit of pressure from the alumni to get us back to where they believe it should be," Purdie said. "For me to have that opportunity to lead this program and play at that level is exciting and also relieving in many ways.

"I thanked the players after the game for giving me that opportunity to capture the title that eluded me back in the '80s."