EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa.— In a high-stakes PSAC semifinal showdown, East Stroudsburg University (14-4) delivered a complete team performance to defeat Millersville (11-7) by a score of 13-9 at Whitenight Field. Playing in front of a packed home crowd of 723 fans, the Warriors fueled by a dominant offensive performance from
Sadie Kauffman came out aggressive on both ends, setting the tone early and never trailing in the game. With great offensive production and clutch defensive stops, ESU secured its spot in championship weekend and they look to build on this impressive performance.
Offensive Notables:
Sadie Kauffman was nearly unstoppable, scoring 7 goals to power the Warriors' attack and extend her season total to 87.
Ariana Tucci contributed a hat trick, including a key free-position goal early in the third quarter.
Additional goals came from
Campbell Heller,
Lauren Hallman, and
Jolee Roth, who also added an assist.
Assists were distributed among Hallman, Roth, and
Mac Maloney, highlighting a well-balanced offense.
Defensive Highlights:
Goalkeeper
Abby Simonetti stood tall in net with 9 saves, including several critical stops in the second half to preserve the lead.
Emily Varilla and
Mac Maloney each caused multiple turnovers and were instrumental in disrupting Millersville's rhythm.
The Warriors were perfect on clears (14-for-14), a testament to their composure and discipline under pressure.
Taylor Vara led the team with 4 ground balls, anchoring a defense that held Millersville to just 2 goals in the final quarter.
East Stroudsburg controlled possession throughout much of the game, outshooting Millersville 33-24 and maintaining a tight battle in draw controls, splitting 12 apiece. The Warriors used a 4-goal third quarter to pull away, fueled by consecutive goals from Kauffman and Tucci.
With the win, the Warriors advance to the PSAC quarterfinal against Slippery Rock on Friday, May 2 at West Chester, the host school for championship weekend.
