Seaford's Alexandra Leggio nets OT winner for Adelphi in D-II quarterfinals
Alexandra Leggio #29 of Adelphi scores the game winner with 1:22 left in OT assisted by Marielle Colalillo against Pace in a NCAA Division II quarterfinal game on Saturday 5/17/2025 in Garden City. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
It was a case of deja vu for the Adelphi women’s lacrosse team.
Just two weeks ago, it was battling Pace University in sudden-death overtime in the Northeast 10 championship game.
On Saturday afternoon, top-seeded Adelphi found itself in the same position against second-seeded Pace in an NCAA Division II quarterfinal.
With less than three minutes remaining in overtime, Pace got possession after winning the draw control, but Adelphi’s Danielle Becker caused a turnover and Sonny Lionetti came up with the ground ball, bringing it into Pace territory with 1:30 left.
On the offensive possession, Marielle Colalillo swung a pass over to the right side of the cage and found Alexandra Leggio, who fired a shot into the net with 1:22 remaining to propel host Adelphi to a 13-12 victory at Motamed Field.
“I didn’t expect it,” said Leggio, a junior from Seaford. “The goalie that they decided to play was a lefty, and being a lefty myself, that’s kind of a hard shot. When the ball was passed to me, I was honestly looking to pass it across, but the play was to shoot.”
Adelphi (18-3) will face Slippery Rock, the Atlantic Region winner, in the semifinals on Thursday at Kerr Stadium in Salem, Virginia.
“This is a special group of kids,” coach Pat McCabe said. “They persevere and trust each other, and that last play to win the game is a perfect example of who we are.”
Adelphi took an 11-9 lead into the final quarter, but Pace’s Marissa Doty scored with 8:35 remaining to tie it. Two minutes later, Leggio scored her second goal to give the Panthers a 12-11 lead, but Pace’s Gigi Genovese scored with 5:27 left to tie it at 12.
Leggio scored three goals, Colalillo had two goals and three assists and Julia Foppiano had one goal and three assists for Adelphi. Goalie Madison Marchetta made 12 saves.
“Our mission throughout the year is to just have as many days as possible together,” McCabe said. “Last year, we were able to do that and play until the very last day. We know Monday we have practice, bus on Tuesday, and we’ll have our day on Thursday. Our goal is to play beyond them, and this is just such a special group.”
Adelphi took a 3-0 lead three minutes into the game. Rita Sefransky won the opening draw and Foppiano found Ashley Kolomechuk for the first goal 28 seconds in. Foppiano scored a minute later and then assisted on Kolomechuk’s second goal.
“We came out strong because we were ready for this,” Lionetti said. “We prepare all season to get here. We have a younger team, so it’s a lot of people’s first time coming here. It’s exciting.”
The Panthers built their largest lead at 7-1 in the second quarter, but in the final six minutes of the half, Pace went on a 4-1 run to cut the deficit to 8-5 before the break.
“We had this quick start, but we knew they were coming,” McCabe said. “It’s the game we expected it to be.”
Pace’s comeback was fueled by free positions. It earned 17 throughout, scoring on eight of them. Mackenzie Carita (five goals) scored on four free-position chances, including three in the second half. The Setters (17-5) won 20 draw controls to the Panthers’ seven.
“The truth of the matter is, if you look at this statistically, nobody thinks we won this game,” McCabe said. “For these kids to do that in a game that was so statistically unbalanced, it is a continued tribute to our kids and their toughness.”
Said Pace coach Tricia Molfetta: “I think it’s one of those things where I’m super-proud that we have nothing to be disappointed for. We showed a lot of resiliency and a lot of heart.”
