Extra Point
DeVito off to fast start at Adelphi
BY JOE WERKMEISTER |SPORTS EDITOR   
http://www2.timesreview.com/SUN/stories/S041709_Point_JW

When Erica DeVito was named Most Valuable Player of the girls lacrosse state championship last spring for Shoreham-Wading River, few might have been as excited as Joe Spallina, coach at Adelphi University, where DeVito was to begin her college career.

Spallina knew he had a special player in DeVito, a Division I-caliber player who would join a host of other local players in pursuit of a D-II national championship.

DeVito has been everything and more for Spallina, the former Rocky Point girls lacrosse coach, and the undefeated Panthers. For the fifth time this season, Tuesday DeVito was selected as the East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week. She was also named the Division II Rookie of the Week by womenslacrosse.com.

In 11 games for Adelphi, DeVito has scored a team-high 43 goals. With 11 assists she's second on the team in points. The current leader, with 45 assists, is Rocky Point graduate Rachel Ray ('05). A first-team All-American last year, Ray was the Division II leader in assists per game last year (3.88) and is on a better pace this year (4.09). Her 17 goals gives her a team-high 62 points.

The list of locals starring on Adelphi is extensive. Alison Staudt (Rocky Point '08) is off to a tremendous rookie season as well, with 23 goals and six assists. Vanessa Sotcheff (Rocky Point '06) has 12 goals with eight assists and Allison Tumulty (Rocky Point '06) has seven goals with an assist. Nicole Liebermann (SWR '06) has seen action in eight games.

The Panthers have five games left in the regular season before the playoffs begin. Their closest game of the year came last Saturday against Stonehill College. They won 16-8.

Up and down the East Coast local athletes have excelled on the lacrosse field in college.

* At Johns Hopkins University Colleen McCaffrey (Mount Sinai '08) is third on the team in points with 22. Her 19 goals are second on the team. She's started all 14 games for the Blue Jays, who are 5-9 overall. The Blue Jays have two games left in the regular season. They'll play Friday against Northwestern, where McCaffrey will run into a former opponent from down the road.

* Brianne LoManto (Rocky Point '08) settled in as the backup goalie for Northwestern, the defending national champions. The Wildcats are undefeated again this year and LoManto has seen action in nine games, making seven saves. With starting goalie Morgan Lathrop in her senior season, LoManto will be in the mix for the starting role next year as a sophomore.

* Danielle Vivonetto (Rocky Point '08) has scored 23 goals for Navy in her freshman season, third best on the team. Navy, at 10-4, has two games left in the regular season before the Patriot League Tournament.

* At the University of Massachusetts Jackie Lyons (Rocky Point '07) leads the team in goals and assists. She has 30 goals and 17 assists for 47 points. UMass is currently undefeated in the Atlantic 10 with two games to play. They're looking for their first league title since 2000.

* At Binghamton University Ali Castiglie (Longwood '07) leads the team in scoring with 21 goals and seven assists. Castiglie led the team in total points and assists last year as a freshman and was named to the America East All-Rookie team. Marie Cordaro (SWR '08) has played in seven games for Binghamton and she scored one goal and an assist.

* At Rutgers University Kristen Anderson (SWR '07) is fourth on the team in points with 13 goals and three assists for the 7-8 Scarlet Knights. They have one game left in the regular season Saturday before the Big East Tournament.

* At the University of Delaware Emily Schaknowski (SWR '06) leads the Blue Hens in points with 14 goals and 10 assists. Brittany Davis (SWR '07) had three goals in her first two games before an injury ended her season.

The amazing part is these are only a few of the women playing lacrosse in college right now. To recap every player would require a lot more ink.

Shoreham-Wading River has eight players alone committed to play in college next year, assuring this is a tradition that won't be slowing down.