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This Week's Schedule (at Bridgeport, Conn.) (Tournament Central)

Friday (Nov. 20) Atlantic Region final
12 p.m. - ESU vs. Edinboro (Live Stats  l  Video)

Sunday (Nov. 22) NCAA DII quarterfinal (if ESU advances)
1 p.m. - ESU vs. Bridgeport/Adelphi winner


BUCKHANNON, W.V. - Junior back Hannah Gombos, senior midfielder Syrandin Deere Vester and junior midfielder Shea Neal were the goal scorers as East Stroudsburg University blanked West Virginia Wesleyan, 3-0, to advance to the NCAA Division II women's soccer Atlantic Regional final on Sunday afternoon.

ESU (13-6-2), the region's No. 6 seed, advances to face Edinboro (15-7-1), the No. 4 seed, in the Atlantic Region final next Friday (November 20) at Bridgeport, Conn. The Warriors posted a 2-1 (OT) win vs. Edinboro in the PSAC championship game last Sunday.

Gombos scored 1:29 into the game off a corner kick, and Deere Vester headed in a corner by Gombos with 1:29 remaining in the first half for a 2-0 advantage. Neal added ESU's third goal, assisted by senior forward Sammi Jo Hughes, with 21:45 left.

WV Wesleyan (17-1-3) was the DII leader in scoring defense, allowing just two goals in 20 games (0.10 gaa), before the Warriors scored two goals in the first half on Sunday.

ESU was knocked out of last year's NCAA Tournament by WV Wesleyan on penalty kicks (4-2) after a 0-0 tie at Eiler-Martin Stadium in a second-round game.

The Warriors advance to the final 16 in DII for the second time in school history. They were previously in the last 16 in 1997 (16-team field).

ESU has reached at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament in each of its last three appearances, making the second round in 2008 (W 4-0 vs. WV Wesleyan, L 3-2 at West Chester) and 2014 before breaking through to make the regional final this fall.

The Warriors won their first round game vs. West Chester, 2-1 (OT), on Friday with both goals by freshman forward Alex Pickett, including the game-winner with 10 seconds left in the first overtime.

ESU improves to 5-0-1 in its last six games (4-0-1 in five postseason games), beginning with a 4-2 win vs. Gannon on October 30 that put the Warriors in the PSAC Tournament.

The advanced to the PSAC semifinals on penalty kicks at West Chester (0-0 2OT, 4-3), then beat Slippery Rock 2-0 and Edinboro 2-1 (OT) to win their second straight PSAC championship and earn the PSAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

ESU's longest unbeaten streak of the regular season was three games (Sept. 9-15), going 8-6-1 before the win over unbeaten Gannon on October 30. Now, the Warriors are one win from their first-ever Atlantic Region title.

ESU dominated most of the contest, holding advantages of 19-11 in shots and 8-4 in corner kicks. Sophomore goalkeeper Jules Harris made seven saves for her seventh shutout of the season (sixth solo) and 16th of her career (14th solo) in 36 starts.


GAME NOTES
* ESU improves to 10-4-4 in postseason games under 9th-year head coach Rob Berkowitz.
* ESU is 7-0-2 in 9 postseason games in the last 2 years with an 18-4 goal differential.

* ESU advanced as the lower seed for the 5th straight game this postseason.

* ESU is the only No. 6 seed to reach a regional final in the 8 regions in DII.
* ESU (#6) and Edinboro (#4) have the highest combined seeding of the 8 regional finals.