EAST STROUDSBURG – The NFHCA released its second Division II coaches' poll of the regular season on Tuesday, with East Stroudsburg University dropping one spot to No. 3 despite winning its only matchup last week.
The Warriors (2-1) topped then-No. 9 LIU Post by a 5-0 final in the only meeting between Top 10 teams over the past seven days. ESU outshot the Pioneers by an 18-1 margin while winning its home opener at Whitenight Field.
Senior
Bailey Quinn scored a pair of goals in the victory, while senior
Ashley Ceschini, senior
Paige Harrold and junior
Karly Conway added solo strikes for the Warriors. Ceschini's goal was the first of her collegiate career.
ESU will face its fourth straight nationally-ranked opponent to begin 2018 on Wednesday, when the Warriors travel to No. 1 Shippensburg for a 4 p.m. contest. The game will not count towards the PSAC standings, with conference play scheduled to begin when the teams face each other again at ESU on Wednesday, Oct. 3.
The Raiders (3-0) maintained their top spot in the national poll with 180 points, and they received 14 of 21 available first place votes. Shippensburg has not played since posting a 2-1 win over Saint Michael's on Sunday, Sept. 9.
Wednesday will mark the seventh time in the past three seasons that ESU and Shippensburg have played each other with each team ranked in the top three in Division II. The teams split the previous six encounters, with Shippensburg edging the Warriors by a 2-1 margin in the DII Final Four last November in the most-recent game.
Stonehill moved into the No. 2 slot after being tied for second with ESU in last week's poll. The Skyhawks (3-1) received 172 points and one first place vote; the Warriors follow with 159 points and a pair of first place votes.
Three more PSAC schools round out the top five. West Chester (2-1) moves from No. 7 to No. 4, while Millersville (2-0) and Bloomsburg (3-0) are tied for fifth.
Following Wednesday's road game, ESU returns to Whitenight Field to host Mercyhurst at 12 p.m. on Saturday.
Penn Monto/NFHCA DII National Poll – Sept. 18, 2018
| Rank |
School (Record) |
Pts (First-Place Votes) |
Previous Ranking |
| 1 |
Shippensburg (3-0) |
180 (14) |
1 |
| 2 |
Stonehill (3-1) |
172 (1) |
t-2 |
| 3 |
ESU (2-1) |
159 (2) |
t-2 |
| 4 |
West Chester (2-1) |
122 |
7 |
| t-5 |
Millersville (2-0) |
117 (1) |
4 |
| t-5 |
Bloomsburg (3-0) |
117 (3) |
5 |
| 7 |
Merrimack (3-1) |
84 |
6 |
| 8 |
Assumption (3-1) |
58 |
NR |
| 9 |
Lindenwood (3-1) |
38 |
10 |
| 10 |
Pace (3-1) |
34 |
8 |
