Box Score

WEST CHESTER - Julia Kirkpatrick scored the game's only goal on a header in the 25th minute, giving No. 9-ranked West Chester a 1-0 win over No. 20 East Stroudsburg University in the 2017 season opener for both schools in PSAC women's soccer on Thursday afternoon.

ESU (0-1), the three-time defending PSAC champion, advanced past West Chester in penalty kicks in the PSAC Tournament in both of the last two years - the 2015 quarterfinals (0-0, 4-3 PK's) and 2016 semifinals (1-1, 3-2 PK's).

Each of the last 11 games between the two schools since 2011 have been decided by one goal, including three ties.

Senior goalkeeper Jules Harris, the consensus All-Region first team goalkeeper last year and the PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year, had four saves for the Warriors.

Kirkpatrick headed home a cross from Kaitlyn McNamara to break the tie 24:23 into the contest.

Brooke Myers made three saves for West Chester, which held advantages of 12-6 in shots and 7-5 in corner kicks.

ESU, which replaces six starters from last year's PSAC championship team which finished 16-5-2, had five players make their first career starts - sophomore forward Monica Wood (transfer from NJIT), redshirt senior midfielder Nikki Weiss, freshman midfielder Haley Skove, sophomore back Jessica Woodbyrne (transfer from Davis & Elkins) and freshman back Erin Thuring.

Midfielder Shea Neal (two-time All-America, four-time first team All-Region), outside back Hannah Gombos (2016 All-America), back Laurel Neira (2014 All-America, three-time All-Region), forward Brielyn Hackett, center back Andrea Polanco and outside back Liia Carpenter are departed from the 2016 team, a group that includes three of the five All-America selections in program history and five multiple-year starters.

Senior midfielder Sammi Ortiz, a two-time All-PSAC and All-Region selection, made her 69th consecutive start.

ESU returns to action on Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at Mercyhurst, which will play its season opener.