Box Score

BLOOMSBURG - Senior forward Lynda Hicks scored both goals to send East Stroudsburg University to the PSAC women's soccer semifinals for the second straight year with a 2-1 win at Bloomsburg on Tuesday afternoon.

The Warriors (11-5-3) play IUP on Friday at 12 p.m. at Mercyhurst. IUP won 1-0 at Gannon, the top seed in the PSAC West, while Mercyhurst downed Slippery Rock 5-2. Defending PSAC champion West Chester won the other PSAC East semifinal 3-0 over Kutztown.

The consecutive semifinal appearances are the first for the program since 1997 and 1998. ESU improves to 6-4 all-time in PSAC tournament games and has won two conference titles, in 1994 and 1997.

Hicks scored 18:50 into the game on an assist from senior midfielder Janel Cleffi, and the Warriors withstood a couple of Bloomsburg scoring chances in the first half. Senior goalkeeper Janine Turcio made four saves in the game and had a sprawling stop five minutes after Hicks gave the Warriors the lead.

ESU controlled the first 15 minutes of the second half and went ahead 2-0 on a breakaway by Hicks, who beat Huskies goalkeeper Frances Nicoletti and put the ball away. Kelly Modes scored an unassisted goal for Bloomsburg to make the score 2-1 with 26:20 left, but ESU didn't surrender any more opportunities to the Huskies.

Hicks is third in school history with 37 career goals, passing Karen Hansen's 36 goals from 1993-96. Her 17 goals this year are fifth in a single season.

ESU avenged two regular season losses to Bloomsburg, 1-0 and 2-1, and knocked the Huskies from the playoffs for the second straight year. The Warriors won last year's meeting 1-0 at Eiler-Martin Stadium.