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EAST STROUDSBURG - Sophomore forward Alex Pickett had a goal and two assists, leading two-time defending PSAC women's soccer champion East Stroudsburg University to a 5-0 win over Slippery Rock in the PSAC quarterfinals on Tuesday afternoon at Eiler-Martin Stadium.

Pickett scored the first of three ESU goals late in the first half as the Warriors (14-4-1) advance to play at No. 1 seed West Chester (18-0) in the PSAC semifinals on Friday at 11 a.m.

ESU, the No. 4 seed, advances to the semifinals for the sixth time in 10 seasons under head coach Rob Berkowitz, and improves to 6-1 in first-round PSAC Tournament games.

Pickett, ESU's top scorer with 12 goals entering the postseason, scored in the 36th minute, assisted by senior forward Brielyn Hackett, to open the three-goal run.

Freshman midfielder Jules Sicker scored in the 38th minute, assisted by Pickett, and freshman forward Amy Strauser finished in the 42nd minute, assisted by senior midfielder Shea Neal, for a 3-0 lead at intermission.

Junior midfielder Sammi Ortiz headed in a corner kick by senior back Hannah Gombos to make it 4-0 in the 50th minute, and junior forward Molly Vicari closed the scoring in the 63rd minute, assisted by Pickett.

ESU's five goals are tied for its most in a postseason game in school history (29 games) with a 5-0 win over IUP in the PSAC quarterfinals in 2014.

Junior goalkeeper Jules Harris wasn't forced to make a save in tying ESU's career record for shutouts (27), matching the total of Stacy Linzenbold (1995-98). Harris had her 10th shutout of the season, breaking her own single-season record which she set as a freshman in 2014.

Harris left with 7:51 remaining and was relieved by senior goalkeeper Brooke Powers.  Kylie Downs made 12 saves for Slippery Rock.

ESU dominated almost from the start, holding a 33-6 advantage in shots - 16-1 in the first half - and had a 33-3 edge before SRU had the final three chances.

ESU and SRU tied in their regular season meeting, 1-1 (2OT) at SRU on October 8, as Neal scored the game-tying goal in the 84th minute.

West Chester remained unbeaten and advanced to the semifinals with a 1-0 win over IUP on a goal by Scarlett Walsh in the 54th minute.

In the other semifinal, No. 2 seed Kutztown (16-3) faces No. 6 seed Gannon (10-5-3). Kutztown advanced with a 3-0 win vs. Bloomsburg, while Gannon knocked off Edinboro, 1-0 (OT).

Pickett pushed her season total to 13 goals as ESU improved to 13-0-1 in her 14 starts this fall. The Warriors are 1-4 in the five games she hasn't started due to injury. She also picked up her third and fourth assists of the season. Pickett has 16 goals and five assists in her last 20 games dating to last year's PSAC championship game.

Sicker's first career goal doubled the lead to 2-0 just 2:29 after Pickett put the Warriors on the board. Strauser and Ortiz both scored their fourth goals of the season, with Vicari adding her second of the year.

Gombos recorded her ninth assist of the year and is second on the Warriors in points (15 - 3 goals, 9 assists) behind Pickett's 30 (13 goals, 4 assists).

Ortiz, who has started all 64 games during ESU's run to two straight PSAC championships, and Strauser join Pickett as the only Warriors with more than three goals as part of a balanced attack that has outscored opponents 43-12.

ESU improves to 11-10-4 all-time vs. Slippery Rock, including 4-5-3 under Berkowitz. Six of the last 11 meetings went to overtime, including this year's tie.

The Warriors' senior class improves to 56-19-6 in its four years, matching the 1994-97 teams for the most wins in a four-year span in school history.

Included in that record is a 48-12-4 mark since the start of the 2014 season, including a 9-1-2 ledger in 12 postseason games.

In seven PSAC Tournament games since 2014, the Warriors are 6-0-1 (advance on penalty kicks after a 0-0 tie at West Chester in last year's quarterfinals) with a goal differential of 18-3.

ESU fell at West Chester, 1-0, in its regular season meeting October 11 on a goal with 45 seconds remaining.


GAME NOTES
* Pickett scored 3 goals in ESU's 4-1 win at Gannon on Saturday night to finish the regular season.
* She has scored in 7 of her last 9 games (12 goals).
* Pickett's 13 goals in 2016 are ESU's most since Lynda Hicks (2008) and Justina Woolf (2001) both scored 18.

* ESU's 5 goals tie a school postseason record, and are also tied for the most in a PSAC Tournament game in conference history.
* This is the 7th time a team has scored 5 goals in a PSAC Tournament game (103 games), and the 2nd time by ESU.
* ESU and West Chester have both won 4 PSAC championships, tied for the most in conference history.

* Lock Haven (1999-01) is the only school with win 3 straight PSAC championships.