MANCHESTER, N.H. – In a rematch of last year's NCAA Division II Semifinal contest, the top-seeded East Stroudsburg University field hockey team took care of business as the Warriors blanked #5 Assumption, 3-0, to advance to the title game on Friday afternoon at Grappone Stadium on the campus of Saint Anslem.
Senior
Grace Lesh got the scoring started for ESU as she redirected an initial shot at the 6:27 mark in the first quarter to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead. The lights weren't too bright for
Minke Klijn as the freshman found the back of the cage on a breakaway four minutes later to make the score 2-0. Klijn sealed the game for the Warriors following her second goal of the afternoon with less than seven minutes on the clock in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors won their eighth consecutive game to improve to 18-2 overall on the season while advancing to the NCAA Division II National Championship for the second straight year and fifth time overall in program history. ESU ended Assumption's (16-7) campaign for the second consecutive time as the Warriors defeated the Greyhounds by the same score in the 2022 semifinals.
ESU will look to capture back-to-back titles and their third national championship in school history on Sunday at 1 p.m. as the Warriors await the player #3 Kutztown following the Golden Bears 2-1 victory over #2 Shippensburg in the other semifinal game.
Notables
- Lesh recorded her third goal of the season and first since September 5 to put ESU in front 1-0
- Klijn registered her sixth and seventh goals of the year in the first and final periods bring her point total to 16
- Graduate student Lia Parker was credited with her team-high seventh and eighth assists of the season, while PSAC Athlete of the Year Jady van Gils picked up her fifth assist and 25th point of the year on ESU's final goal
- Senior Amy Supey, who made a huge penalty stroke save on Assumption's Callie Beauparlant at the 19:15 mark in the second quarter to keep the Greyhounds off the scoreboard, notched five saves and her sixth solo shutout of the season. The Lehman native holds a career record of 52-6 and her 17th career shutout extends the school record.
- The Warriors had the advantage in shots (23-7), shots on goal (11-5) and penalty corners (13-2)
- Sandy Miller, who has led ESU to all five title game appearances in school history, continued her pursuit of 500 career wins as the 39th-year head coach recorded her 497th victory this afternoon
- The Warriors improved to 9-8 all-time in the Division II Tournament and 5-2 in the series against Assumptio
- ESU looks to secure its ninth national championship as an athletic department and eyes its third title in program history as the Warriors defeated Merrimack on Nov. 22, 2015, and Shippensburg on Dec. 3, 2022. 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).
How It Happened
6:27 | The Warriors took advantage of one of their first penalty corners of the afternoon as Parker sent in an initial shot that was redirected by Lesh into the back of the cage to put ESU ahead 1-0
10:56 | ESU doubled it's lead to 2-0 less than five minutes later when van Gils connected with Klijn on a long pass, who was able to shake the defender and goalkeeper for ESU's second goal
53:27 – The Warriors iced the game late in the fourth quarter when Parker inserted a hot pass into the middle of the offensive circle where Klijn deflected a shot over the Assumption's goalkeeper head to make the final score 3-0
Up Next
The Warriors battle #3 Kutztown in the NCAA Division II National Championship game on Sunday at 1 p.m. from Grappone Stadium
