RENTON, WA. – Using a trio of second half goals, the top-ranked East Stroudsburg University field hockey team will play for the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2018 as the Warriors knocked off fourth-seeded Assumption, 3-0, on Thursday afternoon in the NCAA Semifinals at Renton Memorial Stadium.

Senior Olivia Breen broke a scoreless tie with ESU's first goal while freshman Julia Meijs and senior Lia Parker each found the back of the net for the Warriors.

The Warriors recorded their sixth consecutive victory and match the school record for wins moving to 19-2, while the Grey Hounds end their season 15-6.

ESU will look to capture its second national championship in program history, squaring off against Shippensburg at Renton Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 4 p.m. (EST). The second-seed Raiders defeated the third-seeded Golden Rams, 4-1, in the other NCAA Semifinal.

Notables

• Breen tallied her seventh goal of the season a little over four minutes into the second half to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead
   
• Less than seven minutes later, Meijs found the back of the net for the third time in first season wearing the red and black to stretch ESU's edge to 2-0
   
• Parker put the game out of reach at the 54:38 mark with an unassisted goal, her eighth of the season
   
• Graduate student Morgan Mesenbrink and senior Emily Mehnert each notched their first assists of the year
   
• All-PSAC First Team selection Amy Supey pitched her career-high sixth shutout of the season and finished with four saves. The junior goalkeeper lowers her NCAA DII leading goals against average to 0.43 and save percentage (0.869)
   
• ESU held the edge in shots (15-5), shots on goal (8-4) and penalty corners (3-1)
   
• The Warriors advance to their fourth title game in program history where they have an all-time record of 1-2
   
• ESU looks to secure its eighth national championship as an athletic department and looks to capture its first title since 2015 when the Warriors defeated Merrimack, 1-0, on Nov. 22, 2015. Other Warrior teams earning national titles include men's soccer (NAIA, 1962), Archery (United State Intercollegiate - Mixed - 1975, Men - 1976, 1977) and men's gymnastics (NCAA Division II, 1983, 1984).
   
• In her 38th season, head coach Sandy Miller collected her 478th career victory today, now needing 10 more to move into third all-time in Division II, as well as her third conference title

How it Happened
34:06 | The Warriors executed their first penalty corner of the second half as Breen received the initial entry pass from Messenbrink, before dribbling to her right and delivering a blast into the bottom right corner of the cage to break the scoreless tie

41:03 | Mehnert delivered a pass to a streaking Meijs at the top of the shooting circle, who made a spin move before firing a low shot that snuck inside the right post to stretch the Warriors' lead to 2-0

54:38 | After causing a turnover deep in Assumptions end, Parker took the ball towards net before ripping off a back handed shot that resulted in a goal and pushed ESU's edge to 3-0

Up Next
The Warriors will play No. 2 Shippensburg for a chance to capture the second NCAA championship in program history on Saturday at 4 p.m. from Renton Memorial Stadium
 
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