For the third consecutive year, the No. 19/20 Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team is heading to the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) title contest.
On Thursday, the 2025 CAA Championship’s top-seeded squad — the Seawolves (14-4, 8-0 CAA) — hosted the fourth-seeded Elon Phoenix (9-8, 5-3) at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. A career-high 12 saves from goalkeeper Natalia Altebrando, paired with multiple goals from six different players, powered Stony Brook to a blowout 15-4 win, reminiscent of the sides’ matchup during last season’s tournament.
The Seawolves got off to an uncharacteristic start against a conference opponent on Thursday. After attacker Charlotte Wilmoth scored the contest’s opening goal, the Phoenix responded with three scores to close out the period with a two-goal advantage. On top of leading on the scoreboard, Elon also dominated the opening frame statistically. During the first 15 minutes, it outshot Stony Brook 9-3, committed one less turnover (4-5) than the hosts and led the draw control (3-1) and ground ball (5-2) battles.
However, the Seawolves quickly settled in once the second quarter’s opening whistle sounded. Just 22 seconds into the period, midfielder Isabella Caporuscio scored a woman-up, free-position goal to shave Stony Brook’s deficit to a single score. Thereafter, both offenses went silent for nearly six minutes before midfielder Alexandra Fusco gave the Seawolves the lead back, this time one they would not relinquish for the affair’s remainder.
“It was just getting back to playing to our identity,” head coach Joe Spallina said in a postgame press conference. “I think it’s one of those things where you need your upperclassman to pull a little bit heavier and to be smart and to make some really high-level decisions and that wasn’t easy for us.”
For her first goal of two in quick succession, Fusco received a pass from Wilmoth — who shed a defender with a dodge just prior to releasing the ball — and found the back of the net on a quick-action shot. After controlling the ensuing draw, Fusco earned a free-position attempt and delivered, giving Stony Brook a 4-3 advantage.
With halftime on the horizon, the Seawolves continued to be the beneficiary of untimely fouls by the Phoenix. Attacker Riley McDonald and midfielder Julia Fusco each netted a free-position goal in the frame’s final three minutes, making it 6-3 after 30 minutes of play.
Coming out of the tunnel, Stony Brook’s attack took center stage once again. Although it took just over three minutes to get on the board, Caporuscio scored another free-position goal to give the team an even bigger cushion. Two minutes later, defender Avery Hines fouled Elon attacker Lillian Austin to set up a free-position for the adversary. Austin converted on the opportunity to break a scoring drought which lasted over 20 minutes for the Phoenix.
Elon would soon embark on another cold stretch, as the Seawolves pulled away after Austin’s tally made it 7-4. Sparked by consecutive scores from attacker Casey Colbert, Stony Brook outscored the Phoenix 6-1 overall in the third quarter, heading to the final 15 minutes with a 12-4 lead.
The Seawolves’ defense was on lock, highlighted by Altebrando’s performance throughout the affair. She made two or more saves in every period on Thursday, and kept things from getting scary in the opening frame by making five stops then.
“During practice this week, I really focused on all the different types of saves that I’ll have to face,” Altebrando said. “I just go by the shooter and I have to adapt to what they’re shooting like. Also, I have a great defense in front of me that’s making sure that it’s all pressed out.”
McDonald, Colbert and Wilmoth each added a score in the fourth as the Seawolves coasted to victory.
“We’re a new, young group and playoffs are different than the regular season,” Spallina said. “The one way to get experience is to get experience so I thought our players did a good job taking the punch from Elon early and settling in. I think we finished on a 14-1 run which was really good.”
Stony Brook outshot the Phoenix 32 (27 shots on goal) to 20 (16 shots on goal).
The Seawolves finished +5 (14-19) on the turnover differential, scooped up 15 ground balls to Elon’s 12 and controlled 11 draws to the visitors’ 10.
Despite the positive turnover margin, Spallina was not pleased with Stony Brook’s performance in that department.
“The fact that we had 14 turnovers is unacceptable,” Spallina said. “That’s something that’ll be a focal point for us.”
While Altebrando shined, Elon goalkeeper Caitlin Walsh also performed adequately, stopping 12 shots, though she conceded 11 more goals than the Seawolves’ netminder.
Wilmoth and Colbert led the way offensively for Stony Brook with a hat trick apiece. Wilmoth also had three assists, while Colbert dished out a pair. McDonald, Caporuscio and the Fusco sisters scored two goals each.
“I think in that game we started a little bit slowly and we made a lot of uncharacteristic plays,” Wilmoth said. “We have to control the controllable and get back into a rhythm, whether that’s catching a ball or getting a ground ball to build back our confidence. We want to continue that into the championship and build the confidence because it just radiates through everybody.”
Defender Avery Hines proved why she was tabbed as the 2025 CAA Defensive Player of the Year, causing a game-high four turnovers. She set a career program record with 129.
Elon attacker Sammy Fisher led her team with two goals.
The Seawolves will play for the CAA crown and an automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Saturday against the No. 23 Drexel Dragons, who defeated Delaware 20-11 in the other semifinal contest. Drexel has gone 14-3 overall this season and 7-1 in league play, with its only defeat coming to Stony Brook. Opening draw from LaValle Stadium is set for 12:30 p.m.
