No. 1 Adelphi 19, No. 3 Molloy 4
Box Score
No. 1 Adelphi overwhelmed No. 3 Molloy, 19-4, on Saturday afternoon in Garden City, N.Y. to advance to the NCAA DII National Championship game behind a dominant performance on both ends of the field.
The Panthers set the tone immediately, scoring twice in the opening minute and racing out to a 5-0 lead after the first quarter. Adelphi controlled possession throughout the afternoon, winning 18 of 26 faceoffs and outshooting Molloy 58-32.
Michael Durnin led the Adelphi attack with five goals and five assists, while Braden Donnellan orchestrated the offense with seven assists. Danny Fisenne and Noah Gibson each added hat tricks as the Panthers improved to 19-0 on the season.
Adelphi’s defense and faceoff unit never allowed Molloy to settle in offensively. William Greaves won 15 faceoffs and collected 11 ground balls. Goalkeepers Christian Tomei and Thomas Gentile combined for 15 saves Whith Tomei exiting after the game was well in hand in the fourth.
Molloy goalkeeper John Basile kept the Lions within striking distance as best he could with 18 saves.
After taking a 10-0 advantage into halftime, Adelphi continued to pour on the pressure in the second half. Molloy finally broke through just seconds into the third quarter when Justin Palulis scored off an assist from Timothy Morrow. Zach Kroog, Brian Green, and Palulis accounted for the Lions’ four goals.
Adelphi outscored Molloy in every quarter, including a six-goal fourth period, to secure the convincing victory.
The Panthers now advance to a rematch of last year's national final against Tampa, Sunday in Charlottesville, Va. Faceoff is set for 4pm at Scott Stadium. AU is looking for a third straight national championship, a feat that has never been accomplished in NCAA history.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season. The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast 10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.