University of Delaware Athletics
Karen Emas set then single season UD records for goals, assists and points during the 1981 season.
Celebration of Champions: 1981 Women’s Lacrosse Wins First AIAW Division II National Championship
3/18/2021 10:19:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
The 1981 Delaware women's lacrosse team finished 13-2 and won the first women's national championship in school history.
The Blue Hens, led by head coach Janet Smith, dropped their season opener to Ursinus, which would eventually finish as the Division I runner-up. But Delaware then ran off a then school-record 10 straight wins, including the final nine of the regular season.
Delaware then defeated Loyola, 16-8, in the EAIAW Region I-B semifinals, before falling to Lehigh, 9-8, in the final.
The Blue Hens earned the second seed at the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Division II National Championship which was held at Penn State. Delaware routed Ithaca, 22-6, in the opening round as freshman Karen Emas scored six goals and added a school-record six assists to finish with 12 points, also a school mark.
Delaware then faced a rematch with Loyola, and after enduring an hour-long thunderstorm that delayed the second half, the teams were tied 6-6. But with 1:42 remaining, Lisa Blanc scored her fourth goal of the game to give the Blue Hens a one-goal victory.
UD took on Lehigh in the championship game, and after falling behind 2-1, the Blue Hens reeled off four consecutive goals to take a 5-2 lead into the half. With freshman goalie Kim Jackson in the UD net, Delaware held down the Engineers from there as the Blue Hens coasted to an 8-4 victory. Emas and Elaine Pomian supplied the firepower, with both players scoring three goals.
Emas finished her freshman year by setting school single season records for goals (54), assists (23) and points (77). As a team, Delaware scored 198 goals while allowing just 87.
Letterwinners: Lisa Blanc, Anne Brooking, Linda Detar, Lisa Detar, Karen Emas, Lynn Farrand, Kim Jackson, Ann Pasquariello, Elaine Pomian, Linda Schmidt, Linda West, Patti Wilkinson
The Blue Hens, led by head coach Janet Smith, dropped their season opener to Ursinus, which would eventually finish as the Division I runner-up. But Delaware then ran off a then school-record 10 straight wins, including the final nine of the regular season.
Delaware then defeated Loyola, 16-8, in the EAIAW Region I-B semifinals, before falling to Lehigh, 9-8, in the final.
The Blue Hens earned the second seed at the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Division II National Championship which was held at Penn State. Delaware routed Ithaca, 22-6, in the opening round as freshman Karen Emas scored six goals and added a school-record six assists to finish with 12 points, also a school mark.
Delaware then faced a rematch with Loyola, and after enduring an hour-long thunderstorm that delayed the second half, the teams were tied 6-6. But with 1:42 remaining, Lisa Blanc scored her fourth goal of the game to give the Blue Hens a one-goal victory.
UD took on Lehigh in the championship game, and after falling behind 2-1, the Blue Hens reeled off four consecutive goals to take a 5-2 lead into the half. With freshman goalie Kim Jackson in the UD net, Delaware held down the Engineers from there as the Blue Hens coasted to an 8-4 victory. Emas and Elaine Pomian supplied the firepower, with both players scoring three goals.
Emas finished her freshman year by setting school single season records for goals (54), assists (23) and points (77). As a team, Delaware scored 198 goals while allowing just 87.
Letterwinners: Lisa Blanc, Anne Brooking, Linda Detar, Lisa Detar, Karen Emas, Lynn Farrand, Kim Jackson, Ann Pasquariello, Elaine Pomian, Linda Schmidt, Linda West, Patti Wilkinson
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