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Second Round - Sunday, Nov. 15
1 p.m. - ESU vs. WV Wesleyan  (Live Stats)  (Video)

Winner advances to Atlantic Regional final next weekend

Related:
NCAA Tournament announcement
PSAC championship recap


BUCKHANNON, W.V. - Freshman forward Alex Pickett scored both goals, including the game-winner with 10 seconds left in the first overtime, as East Stroudsburg University advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II women's soccer Atlantic Regional with a 2-1 (OT) win vs. West Chester on Friday afternoon at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Pickett scored the game's first goal in the 22nd minute, assisted by senior forward Sammi Jo Hughes, and found the game-winner on a scramble in front of the net after a corner kick, assisted by junior midfielder Shea Neal, to put the Warriors into the second round for the second straight year.

ESU (12-6-2), the region's No. 6 seed, will face sub-regional host WV Wesleyan (17-0-3), the No. 2 seed, on Sunday at 1 p.m. The winner of Sunday's game will advance to the regional final next Friday (Nov. 20), hosted by the top remaining seed in the East Region.

Last fall, ESU was the No. 1 seed, receiving a first-round bye, and was knocked out of the tournament by WV Wesleyan on penalty kicks (4-2) after a scoreless tie in the second round.

ESU gained the PSAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning its second straight conference championship last weekend. The Warriors began that run to the title as the No. 7 seed at West Chester, advancing on penalty kicks (4-3) after a scoreless tie.

West Chester, the No. 3 seed, finishes its season at 14-4-1. The Golden Rams, making their 13th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, were the defending regional champion and had won six of the last 10 regional titles.

ESU struck first on Pickett's goal midway through the first half, and held the 1-0 lead until late in the second half when WCU's Haley Mangiaruga scored with 4:38 remaining.

ESU had most of the possession in the opening half, holding advantages of 6-3 in shots, 5-0 in shots on goal and 5-2 in corner kicks.

West Chester climbed back in the game in the second half, and both teams had 10 shots (ESU 8-2 edge in shots on goal) through regulation.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jules Harris had two saves for ESU. Alex Srolis had four saves for West Chester in 47:37, and Madi Mitchell made three saves in the final 52:13.

Pickett scored ESU's first goal and assisted on Neal's game-winner 7:59 into the first OT in last Sunday's 2-1 (OT) win vs. Edinboro in the PSAC championship game.

She made her 10th straight start and 11th of the season at forward, and has three goals and one assist in the last two games after contributing one goal and one assist in the first 18 contests.

Pickett is the first ESU player to score two goals in an NCAA Tournament game, and the fifth to score two goals in a postseason game.

ESU advanced in its fourth straight postseason game, all as the lower seed - 0-0 (4-3 PK's) at No. 2 seed West Chester in PSAC quarterfinals, 2-0 vs. No. 3 seed Slippery Rock in PSAC semifinals and 2-1 (OT) vs. No. 4 seed Edinboro in the PSAC championship game.

The Warriors, in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history, advance to the second round for the third time under head coach Rob Berkowitz.

They posted a 4-0 win vs. WV Wesleyan in the first round in 2008 before falling at West Chester, 3-2, and gained a first-round bye last season before falling to WV Wesleyan in PK's.

ESU beat West Chester for the first time in three meetings this season, going 1-1-1 against the Golden Rams (1-0-1 in the postseason) after a 1-0 loss in the regular season on Oct. 13 at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

The Warriors improve to 2-2 in postseason games against West Chester. WCU had allowed just eight goals in its first 18 games, ranking 10th in DII in goals against average (0.44), and allowed two goals in a game for just the third time this season.

On the other side of the regional, No. 1 seed Gannon (18-2) will host the winner of Friday's first-round game between Edinboro and Charleston.


GAME NOTES
* ESU improves to 2-2-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
* ESU improves to 9-4-4 all-time in postseason games under 9th-year head coach Rob Berkowitz, including 6-0-2 in the last 2 seasons (2 PSAC championships).

* Neal, So. M Sammi Ortiz and Jr. B Laurel Neira were named to the All-PSAC 2nd team last week. ESU was the first team in PSAC women's soccer history (22 years) to win a conference title without a 1st team All-PSAC selection.

* Hughes made her 76th career start and has 23 career goals and 12 assists.
* Neal made her 59th career start and has 21 career goals and 11 assists.
* Harris improves to 27-6-2 in goal in 35 career starts.

* ESU was 8-6-1 entering the final game of the regular season vs. No. 1-ranked and unbeaten Gannon on October 30, needing a win to qualify for the PSAC Tournament.
* Since then, the Warriors are 4-0-1 - W 4-2 vs. Gannon, T 0-0 at West Chester, W 2-0 vs. Slippery Rock, W 2-1 OT vs. Edinboro, W 2-1 OT vs. West Chester.


ESU players with 2 goals in postseason game (25 games)
* Alex Pickett vs. West Chester, 2015 NCAA 1st round - W 2-1 OT (at WV Wesleyan)
* Sammi Jo Hughes vs. Slippery Rock, 2015 PSAC semifinals - W 2-0 (at Gannon)
* Brielyn Hackett vs. IUP, 2014 PSAC quarterfinals - W 5-0
* Lynda Hicks at Bloomsburg, 2008 PSAC quarterfinals - W 2-1
* Karen Hansen vs. Bloomsburg, 1994 PSAC final - W 2-1 (at Altoona)