Box Score
WEST CHESTER - Sophomore Lindsay Foder's goal 24 seconds into the second half was the first of three goals for the Warriors in the first 15 minutes of the second period as East Stroudsburg University earned the first NCAA women's soccer playoff victory in school history with a 4-0 win over West Virginia Wesleyan on Friday afternoon at West Chester.
ESU, making its second NCAA appearance in the program's 17 years, improves to 12-5-4 and advances to face West Chester on Sunday at noon for the opportunity to move into the Atlantic Regional final.
West Virginia Wesleyan, which had allowed just seven goals in the regular season while claiming the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship, ends its season at 15-3-1.
Freshman Megan Keiser scored the game's first goal at 33:38 in the first half as senior Janel Cleffi played a ball across the six-yard box and Keiser knocked it home past goalkeeper Caroline Lalley. The goal was Keiser's second of the season, both game-winners, with the first coming with 1:58 left in regulation in a 3-2 win over Shippensburg on Oct. 11.
ESU took the 1-0 lead into the break and then exploded for three goals to break the game wide open. Foder's goal was assisted by senior Lynda Hicks, the second time they've connected in the last two games. Foder has nine goals this season, all in the last 12 games, and leads the Warriors with six assists.
Senior Kerry Ruland scored her third career goal, and the first since her sophomore year, with a chip to the back post over Lalley to put ESU ahead 3-0 less than six minutes into the half. Sophomore Kailyn Buckley struck again nine minutes later off a corner kick assisted by Foder, trapping the ball in the box and finding the net inside the near post.
Cleffi had a strong game controlling the center midfield and the back line of Linda Martine, Devon Miniscalco, Sarah Rothrock and sweeper Tara Takac limited West Virgnia Wesleyan to four shots, and only two in the final 87 minutes. Senior goalkeeper Janine Turcio made three saves.
