PSAC Tournament

First Round (Tuesday)
4 p.m. - #3 Shippensburg (13-4, 7-3) vs. #6 Bloomsburg (9-9, 5-5) -- Bloomsburg W 3-2 (OT)
7 p.m. - #4 Kutztown (12-6, 7-3) vs. #5 West Chester (15-3, 7-3) -- West Chester W 6-1

Semifinals (Friday) at ESU
11 a.m. - #2 Millersville (18-1) vs. #6 Bloomsburg (10-10) -- Millersville W 1-0
1:30 p.m. - #1 ESU (16-3) vs. West Chester (16-4) -- ESU W 3-1 (Recap)

Final (Sunday) at ESU
1 p.m. - ESU vs. Millersville (LIVE STATS)

Related: All-PSAC release

Tickets:
$7 - Adults
$2 - Student Age
Free - Students with PSAC school ID
No complimentary tickets (only PSAC-distributed passes to conference personnel are accepted)


EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University, the PSAC's No. 1 seed, hosts the PSAC semifinals and championship game for the first time in program history, with the Warriors taking the field against West Chester in Friday's second semifinal at 1:30 p.m. at Whitenight Field.

ESU (15-3) hosts No. 5 seed West Chester (16-3) following the day's first semifinal between No. 2 seed Millersville (17-1) and No. 6 seed Bloomsburg (10-9) at 11 a.m.

The championship game will be played Sunday at 1 p.m.

West Chester won 6-1 at Kutztown on Tuesday night, while Bloomsburg outlasted Shippensburg, 3-2 (OT), on the road on Tuesday afternoon as both lower seeds advanced.

Millersville (No. 1), ESU (No. 2) and West Chester (No. 3) hold the top three spots in the Atlantic Region in the NCAA Division II regional rankings released on Wednesday. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. with the top three teams in both regions advancing.

ESU is seeking its first PSAC championship in program history this weekend. The Warriors have played in the conference championship game twice, finishing as runner-up in 2001 and 2010. They are in the conference tournament for the third straight year.

ESU gained the PSAC's No. 1 seed by virtue of its 1-0 win vs. Millersville on October 13, as both schools finished with 9-1 conference records. Millersville won a non-conference game vs. ESU, 1-0, on September 15.

The Warriors won a share of their second PSAC regular season title (also 2010) and have posted their fifth season with 15+ wins. They are two wins from the school record of 17, set in 1995 (17-4) and equaled in 2010 (17-6).

Millersville has reached the PSAC championship game three straight years, winning in 2013 and finishing as runner-up in 2012 and 2014. The Marauders are in the PSAC Tournament for the fourth straight year after almost 20 years without a PSAC postseason appearance. They have three PSAC titles in program history (1985-86, 2013).

West Chester is the defending champion and has won two of the last three titles (2012, 2014). The Golden Rams have qualified for the PSAC Tournament in all five seasons since reclassifying from Division I.

Bloomsburg has won 18 PSAC championships, claiming half of the 36 titles awarded in conference history. The Huskies won their most recent championship in 2011 and are back in the PSAC Tournament after missing the playoffs in 2014, just their second time missing the tournament since 1980.

ESU knocked off West Chester, 4-0, on September 26 at Whitenight Field for their first win vs. the Golden Rams since they reclassified to Division II, and first since 1960.

Millersville won its first meeting with Bloomsburg, 1-0, on the road on October 17.

The ESU-West Chester game will feature the nation's top offense (WCU - 3.74 goals per game) against the No. 2-ranked defense (ESU - 0.77 goals against average). ESU also ranks No. 4 in DII in scoring (3.11 goals per game).

Millersville has the top-ranked defense in DII (0.38 goals against average) and a scoring margin of 41-7. Bloomsburg has a 34-26 goal differential and is ninth in DII defensively (1.33 gaa).

ESU enters the weekend with six All-PSAC selections, including three first teamers - senior forward Ally Roth, junior midfielder Desiraye Mack and junior back Emily Howell. Senior midfielder Rebecca Snyder is on the second team, and junior back Morgan Firestine and senior back Amanda Wnorowski are on the third team.

In all, 24 of the 39 All-PSAC selections, including 10 of the 14 on the first team, will be competing on Friday.

Roth is first team All-PSAC for the third straight season, contributing 19 goals and two assists. She was the 2014 PSAC Offensive Athlete of the Year and is a two-time NFHCA All-America first team selections. She holds ESU records with 72 career goals and 168 points, ranking first among active PSAC players and third among active DII players in both categories.

The Warriors start five seniors, five juniors and one sophomore on an experienced team. Nine players have started all 18 games this season.

All three defenders were named to the All-PSAC team with Howell on the first team and Firestine and Wnorowski on the third team. The Warriors have allowed just 14 goals in 18 games, including six shutouts.

Wnorowski is in her third year as a starter and gained her second All-PSAC honor after she was named to the second team last year. She has made 59 career starts. Howell has made 32 career starts (4 goals, 3 assists this season) and Firestine has made 28 starts.

Junior goalkeeper Danielle Ard, in her second year as a starter, ranks second in DII in goals against average (0.72) and has started all 18 games.

Mack gained her second All-PSAC honor (1st team 2015, 3rd team 2014) and has started all 57 games in her career. She has 10 goals and one assist this season.

Snyder has made 19 career starts (all 18 this year) and has four goals and eight assists. Other starting midfielders are senior Lindsay Blum (31 career starts - 1 goal this season), senior Samantha Hosford (17 starts - 1 goal) and sophomore Sydney McCarthy (18 starts - 2 goals, 2 assists).

Junior Marisa Miro has started all 18 games at forward and has three goals and two assists. Junior Robin Stevenson has contributed five goals and two assists off the bench.

Other key reserves include sophomore midfielder Ashley Chioda and freshman midfielder Paige Harrold (2 goals, 4 assists), who have both played in all 18 games, along with sophomore Melanie Shambaugh (14 games), freshman Amanda Crampton (12 games) and freshman Makenna Marhefka (11 games).

Team capsules are below:



EAST STROUDSBURG (No. 1 seed)

Friday 1:30 p.m. vs. West Chester - W 4-0 home on Sept. 26
vs. Millersville (1-1) - L 0-1 away on Sept. 15, W 1-0 home on Oct. 13
vs. Bloomsburg (2-0) - W 2-0 home on Sept. 9, W 3-0 away on Sept. 29

Record: 15-3 (Schedule)
PSAC Record/Finish: 9-1 (t-1st)
NCAA DII Rank: 1

PSAC semis: 13th
PSAC titles: 0
PSAC runner-up: 2 (2001, 2010)

Goal differential: 56-14
NCAA Offense Rank: 3.11 (4th)
NCAA Defense Rank: 0.77 (2nd)

Head coach: Sandy Miller
Record (Years): 372-259-1 (32nd)
Career: same
PSAC titles: 0

All-PSAC Selections
1st team - F Ally Roth
1st team - M Desiraye Mack
1st team - B Emily Howell
2nd team - M Rebecca Snyder
3rd team - B Morgan Firestine
3rd team - B Amanda Wnorowski

Goal Leaders (Roster  l  Stats)
19 - Ally Roth
10 - Desiraye Mack

Assist Leader
8 - Rebecca Snyder

Goalkeeper
Danielle Ard (0.81 gaa … 0.767 save percentage … 18 games (18 starts) … 4 shutouts)



MILLERSVILLE (No. 2 seed)

Friday 11 a.m. vs. Bloomsburg - W 1-0 away on Oct. 17
vs. ESU (1-1) - W 1-0 home on Sept. 15, L 0-1 away on Oct. 13
vs. West Chester - W 1-0 (OT) home on Sept. 23

Record: 17-1 (Schedule)
PSAC Record/Finish: 9-1 (t-1st)
NCAA DII Rank: 2

PSAC semis: 15th
PSAC titles: 3 (1985-86, 2013)
PSAC runner-up: 3 (1989, 2012, 2014)

Goal differential: 41-7
NCAA Offense Rank: 2.28 (13th)
NCAA Defense Rank: 0.38 (1st)

Head coach: Shelly Behrens
Record (Years): 102-57 (8th)
Career: 179-177 (18th)
PSAC titles: 1

All-PSAC Selections
1st team - F Aliza Mizak
1st team - M Lauren Gerhart
1st team - B Taylor Parker
2nd team - B Kayla Bixler
3rd team - F Kathleen Bishop
3rd team - F Olivia Hershey
3rd team - M Robyn Spatichia
3rd team - M Margaret Thorwart
3rd team - GK Samantha Rumler

Goal Leaders (Roster  l  Stats)
10 - Aliza Mizak
7 - Olivia Hershey

Assist Leader
6 - Margaret Thorwart

Goalkeeper
Samantha Rumler (0.16 gaa … 0.857 save percentage … 13 games (12 starts) … 10 shutouts)



WEST CHESTER (No. 5 seed)

Friday 1:30 p.m. vs. ESU - L 0-4 away on Sept. 26
vs. Millersville - L 0-1 (OT) away on Sept. 23
vs. Bloomsburg - W 3-1 away on Oct. 10

Record: 16-3 (Schedule)
PSAC Record/Finish: 7-3 (t-3rd)
1st Round: W 6-1 at Kutztown
NCAA DII Rank: 3

PSAC semis: 5th
PSAC titles: 2 (2012, 2014)
PSAC runner-up: 1 (1982)

Goal differential: 71-25
NCAA Offense Rank: 3.74 (1st)
NCAA Defense Rank: 1.28 (8th)

Head coach: Amy Cohen
Record (Years): 85-18 (5th)
Career: 113-61 (10th)
PSAC titles: 2

All-PSAC Selections
1st team - F Marnie Kusakavitch
1st team - M Dayle Paustian
1st team - M Alexis Versak
1st team - B Kristin Scherrer
2nd team - F Rachal Toppi
3rd team - B Nikki Bennett

Goal Leaders (Roster  l  Stats)
20 - Rachal Toppi
16 - Marnie Kusakavitch
14 - Dayle Paustian

Assist Leaders
8 - Dayle Paustian
8 - Mary Spisak
8 - Alexis Versak

Goalkeeper
Brianna Magner (1.29 gaa … 0.737 save percentage … 13 games (11 starts) … 2 shutouts)
Sarah Krause (1.26 gaa … 0.762 save percentage … 10 games (8 starts) … 3 shutouts)



BLOOMSBURG (No. 6 seed)

Friday 11 a.m. vs. Millersville - L 0-1 home on Oct. 17
vs. ESU (0-2) - L 0-2 away on Sept. 9, L 0-3 home on Sept. 29
vs. West Chester - L 1-3 home on Oct. 10

Record: 10-9 (Schedule)
PSAC Record/Finish: 5-5 (6th)
1st Round: W 3-2 (OT) at Shippensburg
NCAA DII Rank: unranked

PSAC semis: 33rd
PSAC titles: 18 (1983-84, 87-88, 90-93, 97, 99, 2002-04, 06, 08-11)
PSAC runner-up: 10

Goal differential: 34-26
NCAA Offense Rank: 1.79 (n/a)
NCAA Defense Rank: 1.33 (9th)

Head coach: Nikki Rhoads
Record (Years): 79-34 (6th)
Career: 101-52 (8th)
PSAC titles: 2

All-PSAC Selections
2nd team - GK Lindsay Cassel
3rd team - F Sam Peters
3rd team - B Alexis Carroll

Goal Leaders (Roster  l  Stats)
7 - Sam Peters
6 - Whitney Kowski

Assist Leader
4 - Stephanie Halsted

Goalkeeper
Lindsay Cassell (1.33 gaa … 0.834 save percentage … 19 games (19 starts) … 5 shutouts)