2019 PSAC Championship Gear Store

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Sophomore Celeste Veenstra scored her 21st goal of the season at the 46:23 mark of the contest as her fourth-quarter tally propelled the East Stroudsburg University women's field hockey team to its first PSAC Field Hockey Championship since 2015. The Warriors defeated Kutztown 1-0 at Vonnie Gros Field to capture the 2019 crown.
 
ESU (18-2) entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed and defeated the No. 4 seed Golden Bears for the second time this season. The Championship is the second in program history for the Warriors, while Kutztown made its first appearance since 1988 in the PSAC Championship.
 
Veenstra was named the PSAC Field Hockey Championship Most Valuable Player after recording the lone goal of the contest. Both teams notched eight shots in the contest, while ESU held a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal.
 
"Kutztown played an amazing game", noted ESU head coach Sandy Miller. "They came out of the gate at the next level but I am really proud of our team and their relentless attitude and effort that they showed throughout the contest."
 
Kutztown applied the early pressure in the contest as the Golden Bears would be awarded a penalty corner at the 3:30 mark of the first quarter followed by a shot from Kyra Wozniak that would be saved by senior Briana Sassaman.
 
The Golden Bears received a penalty stroke at the 4:18 mark as Alyssa Donato looked to put her team on top. Donato would be unable to convert on the opportunity as ESU senior goalkeeper Maddie Richie redirected the shot.
 
ESU tallied its lone shot on goal in the first quarter as senior Karly Conway tried to beat Kutztown goalkeeper Kerri Hanshaw at the 5:30 mark.
 
The Warriors recorded a pair of shots early in the second quarter as Veenstra would have an opportunity blocked by the Kutztown defense, while sophomore Hannah Barbush had her attempt blocked by Gabby Hess.
 
After both sides went scoreless in the first half of action, Barbush would get another opportunity to try and put the Warriors onto the scoreboard as her shot would be stopped by Juliana Borisow at the 34:32 mark.
 
The Warriors broke the scoreless contest in the fourth quarter as Veenstra took a feed from senior Grace Martini and beat Hanshaw inside the far post at the 46:23 mark to make it 1-0. Veenstra's score was her team-leading 21st of the season, while Martini tallied her second assist of the season for ESU.
 
ESU will wait to see where it gets seeded heading into the 2019 NCAA DII Field Hockey Championship as the selection show is set for Monday, Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. The webcast will be available online via www.ncaa.com. The top three teams from the Atlantic and East Regions will advance to the DII Field Hockey Championship.