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Related: NCAA DII Selection Show (Monday, 1 p.m.)
NCAA Tournament selection release (ESU region No. 1 seed, bye to semifinals)


EAST STROUDSBURG - Junior back Emily Howell was named PSAC Tournament MVP and junior forward Marisa Miro scored the game's only goal, as East Stroudsburg University won its first-ever PSAC field hockey championship with a 1-0 victory over Millersville on Sunday afternoon at Whitenight Field.

Miro scored the only goal of the game 10:22 into the contest on a penalty corner, assisted by senior midfielder Rebecca Snyder, for ESU (17-3).

Millersville (18-2) was playing in the PSAC championship game for the fourth straight year, winning in 2013 and finishing runner-up in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

Both teams are expected to be selected for the NCAA Division II Tournament. The complete tournament field will be released on Monday at 1 p.m.

In a match-up of the top two defensive teams in NCAA Division II, Millersville had advantages of 6-3 in shots and 8-3 in penalty corners, including 3-0 in shots and 5-0 in penalty corners in the second half, but the Warriors defense kept the Marauders off the board for their seventh shutout of the season.

Junior goalkeeper Danielle Ard made four saves, two in each half, for the Warriors. Samantha Rumler had one save for Millersville, which surrendered just its eighth goal of the season in 20 games.

Howell, one of ESU's three All-PSAC first team selections, spearheaded a defensive effort that gave ESU its second 1-0 win vs. Millersville this season for the Marauders' only two losses. ESU fell 1-0 at Millersville on Sept. 15 in a non-conference game, and won the rematch 1-0 on Oct. 13 at Whitenight Field that gave the Warriors the tiebreaker in the PSAC standings and hosting rights for the conference semifinals and championship game.

ESU ties a school record with its 17th win of the season. The Warriors also won 17 games in 1995 (17-4) and 2010 (17-6).

ESU, under 32nd-year head coach Sandy Miller, played in the PSAC championship for the third time in program history and was previously runner-up in 2001 and 2010.

The Warriors advanced to the championship game with a 3-1 win over West Chester, while Millersville posted a 1-0 win vs. Bloomsburg in the semifinals.

ESU shared the PSAC regular season title for the second time in program history, also tying for first in 2010.

Led by its three first team All-PSAC selections in senior forward Ally Roth (19 goals, two assists), junior midfielder Desiraye Mack (10 goals, two assists) and Howell (four goals, three assists), the Warriors have a 60-15 goal differential as they prepare for the NCAA Tournament.

Roth is a three-time first team All-PSAC selection, two-time NFHCA All-America first team choice and leads current PSAC players in career goals (72) and points (168).

Snyder (five goals, nine assists) was named to the All-PSAC second team, and senior back Amanda Wnorowski and junior back Morgan Firestine were named to the All-PSAC third team to put all three members of the Warriors' back line on the all-conference team.

Miro scored her fifth goal of the season. Snyder, freshman midfielder Paige Harrold and Miro were the goal scorers in the semifinal win vs. West Chester.

Ard has a 0.78 goals against average and .779 save percentage while starting all 20 games in goal with five solo shutouts.

Nine Warriors - Roth and Miro at forward; Mack, Snyder and sophomore Sydney McCarthy in the midfield; Firestine, Howell and Wnorowski at back and Ard at goalkeeper - have started all 20 games. Senior midfielders Lindsay Blum and Samantha Hosford have started 19 games.

If the Warriors are selected for the NCAA Tournament, it will be the seventh appearance in program history. ESU competed in the Division III Tournament in 1987, 1988 and 1990, and the Division II Tournament in 2001, 2009 and 2010.

ESU was the No. 2-ranked team and Millersville the No. 1-ranked team in last week's Atlantic Region rankings, with the top three teams earning spots in the NCAA field.

ESU was ranked No. 1 and Millersville No. 2 in this week's NFHCA coaches poll.


GAME NOTES

* ESU's women's soccer team also won the PSAC championship on Sunday. This marks the 4th time in school history that ESU teams have won PSAC championships on the same day:
November 8, 2015 - Field Hockey, Women's Soccer
November 8, 1997 - Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer
October 30, 1994 - Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer
November 9, 1985 - Men's Soccer, Women's Volleyball

* This marks the first time since 2003-04 that ESU has won 2 PSAC championships in the same season, and also the same academic year. Recent academic years with multiple PSAC titles:
2015-16 - Field Hockey, Women's Soccer
2003-04 - Football (PSAC East), Men's Soccer
2002-03 - Football (PSAC East), Men's Soccer
1997-98 - Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer
1994-95 - Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Basketball
1989-90 - Men's Soccer, Men's Basketball