Box Score  l  Photo Gallery

ESU tournament preview

Sunday (1 p.m.): PSAC championship game - ESU vs. Edinboro
Live Stats  l  Video


ERIE - Senior forward Sammi Jo Hughes scored both goals as defending PSAC women's soccer champion East Stroudsburg University posted a 2-0 win over Slippery Rock to earn a return trip to the PSAC championship game in a semifinal played Friday at Gannon University.

ESU (10-6-2), the No. 7 seed, will face Edinboro (14-6), the No. 4 seed, on Sunday at 1 p.m. Edinboro knocked off No. 1 seed Gannon, 3-1.

The Warriors, who advanced to the semifinals on penalty kicks (4-3) after a 0-0 tie at West Chester on Tuesday, will attempt to become the third program in PSAC history to win consecutive PSAC championships, joining Lock Haven (1998-00) and West Chester (2006-07, 09-10).

Hughes scored in the 43rd and 56th minute and sophomore goalkeeper Jules Harris made six saves for her second straight shutout, her sixth of the season and the 15th of her career.

Sophomore forward Molly Vicari assisted on the first goal and junior midfielder Shea Neal, an All-PSAC second team selection and three-time All-PSAC selection, helped on the second.

Slippery Rock (13-5-1) held advantages of 16-12 in shots and 6-5 in shots on goal. Charlotte Elrod had three saves.

The PSAC champion will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

ESU is seeking its fourth PSAC championship in program history, winning in 1994, 1997 and 2014.  The Warriors are in the championship game for the fifth time.

Edinboro won the first meeting with ESU, 2-1, on October 24 as Jansen Hartmann, an All-PSAC first team selection, scored the game-winning goal with 13:14 remaining. ESU junior midfielder Shea Neal (All-PSAC 2nd team), a three-time All-PSAC selection, scored the Warriors goal in the 50th minute.

The Fighting Scots are in the PSAC championship game for the first time in program history. They qualified for the tournament for the sixth straight season, reaching the semifinals in 2011 and 2012. They were also semifinalists in 2001 and 2007.

Game Notes:
* Hughes had her 3rd career multi-goal game. She extended her career total to 23 goals, 6th in school history.

ESU players with 2 goals in postseason game (23 games)
* 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)