Championship Game: East Stroudsburg 2, Edinboro 1 (OT)
Erie, Pa. - The East Stroudsburg Warriors won their second straight PSAC Women’s Soccer Championship on Sunday afternoon, defeating Edinboro in the PSAC Championship Game, 2-1 in overtime.
Shannon Regan put Edinboro on top at 15:44, putting a corner kick from Alex Brown in the back of the net.;
ESU would even things up before the half, getting the equalizer at 30:23. Alex Pickett scored on a rebound. Her goal was assisted by Brielyn Hackett.
The remainder of the first half and the entirety of the second half would not see any additional scoring, so the two teams went into overtime.
Shea Neal, an all-conference performer, scored the game-winner at 97:59 on a breakaway, sneaking the ball past the goalkeeper inside the left post.
Pickett assisted on the goal.
For the second straight season, Neal was named the PSAC Tournament MVP.
This was the 100th career victory for head coach Rob Berkowitz. Coach Berkowitz has now led the Warriors to the consecutive conference championships, the first conference titles for the women’s soccer program at ESU.
ESU entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed, but in its last four games defeated the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 seeds.
The Warriors will make the NCAA Tournament with the automatic berth. The NCAA Selection Show will be tomorrow, November 9, at 6:30 p.m.
Box Score
East Stroudsburg Recap
Championship Game Coverage: Live Stats | Video
Champion Scholar: Megan Lenzi, Slippery Rock
RELEASE
PSAC Semifinals
Hughes Two Goals Slips East Stroudsburg Past Slippery Rock
Erie, Pa.- The defending PSAC Champions East Stroudsburg are back in the Championship game after defeating Slippery Rock Tuesday afternoon 2-0.
Sammi Jo Hughes scored both of the goals for East Stroudsburg. Scoring her first goal in the 43rd minute.
Hughes added an insurance goal in the 56th minute.
The Warriors will face Edinboro in the Championship game on Sunday afternoon. Game time is set for 1:00 PM.
Box Score
East Stroudsburg Recap
Slippery Rock Recap
Edinboro reaches First Championship Game with Win over #1 Gannon
Erie, Pa. -Edinboro upset No. 1 Gannon by a score of 3-1 in the second PSAC semifinal match Tuesday afternoon. The win moves the Fighting Scots to their first ever Championship game Sunday afternoon.
Alex Brown led Edinboro with two goals in the game. Her first goal coming in the 24th minute.
Jansen Hartman scored the second goal for the Fighting Scots in the 61st first minute.
Gannon got within one goal when Kaitlyn Kissell found the back of the net in the 75th minute.
Brown added an insurance goal in the 81st minute to secure the win for the Fighting Scots.
Box Score
Gannon Recap
Ediniboro Recap
CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
No. 1 Gannon vs. No. 4 Edinboro: Live Stats | Live Video
No. 3 Slippery Rock vs. No. 7 East Stroudsburg: Live Stats | Live Video
Erie, Pa. - The remainder of the 2015 PSAC Women’s Soccer Championship will play out this weekend on the campus of Gannon University, as Edinboro, Slippery Rock, East Stroudsburg, and, of course, host Gannon are all vying for the title.
The first matchup in the semifinals will see Slippery Rock square off with the defending PSAC Champions from East Stroudsburg. Although they are the defending champions, the Warriors are the lowest seed still playing this weekend, entering the conference tournament as the seventh seed. ESU upset No. 2 West Chester in the first round in penalty kicks to advance to this stage.
Slippery Rock also needed extra time to move past its quarterfinal contest, but were able to avoid penalty kicks, getting a golden goal from First Team All-PSAC performer Dara Demich in the second overtime against California. The Rock is the third seed in the tournament, going 11-4-1 in the PSAC this season.
Including Demich, The Rock has six all-conference players, which is the second-most in the league. Senior midfielder Caitlin Binder was also named to the first team after being named to the third team in 2014.
East Stroudsburg has three all-conference performers, led by Shea Neal, who is making her third appearance on the all-conference list in as many seasons on campus. ESU is the only team to defeat the top-seeded Lady Knights from Gannon this year.
The only meeting this year between SRU and ESU ended in a draw, 2-2.
Gannon earned the right to host the tournament after a nearly perfect regular season and a 3-1 victory over Bloomsburg in the opening round. The Lady Knights feature a potent offense that was tied for the league lead in scoring and a league-best seven all-conference performers. Gannon also boasts the 2015 PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year in Olivia Augustyniak, the 2015 Coach of the Year in Colin Petersen, and the 2015 Athlete of the Year in Mani Brueckner. Brueckner led the PSAC in points (41), goals (17), and was tied for the lead in assists (7).
No. 4 Edinboro will make the short drive to Erie is hopes of upsetting Gannon and advancing to the PSAC Championship Game, a game in which they have never been. Edinboro vanquished Kutztown in the quarterfinals, winning 1-0 on an Alex Brown tally.
The Fighting Scots boast a pair of First Team All-PSAC players in Jansen Hartmann and Halle Hammer. Hartmann has the second-most points (28) in the league, trailing only Brueckner.
Gannon topped Edinboro by the score of 4-0 in the regular season.
PSAC QUARTERFINALS
Gannon Defeats Bloomsburg, 3-1
Erie, Pa. - Gannon rebounded from its first loss of the season in the final regular season game of the year with a win in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament.
The Lady Knights scored first, getting a goal from Sammy Valloud at 12:33. Bloomsburg evened the score up with just two minutes to play in the first half, getting a goal from Chrissy Hollan.
In the second half, GU pulled away, getting goals from Mani Bruckner and Kaitlyn Kissell.
With the 3-1 win, Gannon is poised to host the remainder of the tournament this weekend. It is the first time in school history that the final four of the conference tournament will be played at Gannon.
Box Score
Gannon Recap
Bloomsburg Recap
Edinboro Gets Late Goal From Brown to Advance
Edinboro, Pa. - The Fighting Scots, who were the the fourth seed in the conference tournament, clinched their spot in the PSAC Semifinals, defeating Kutztown on Tuesday afternoon.
At 66:38, Alex Brown recorded the lone tally of the contest, sealing the win for the home team.
Sarah Baskey recorded the shutout for Edinboro, recording four saves.
Edinboro outshot Kutztown 14-7 in the match.
This is the sixth straight appearance in the PSAC Tournament for Edinboro, but it is the first time that the Fighting Scots have advanced to the second round since 2012.
Box Score
Edinboro Recap
Kutztown Recap
Demich’s Golden Goal Propels SRU to the Semifinals
Slippery Rock, Pa. - After more than 107 minutes of scoreless soccer, Dara Demich scored the lone goal of the game off a long run from the left side to move Slippery Rock into the next round of the PSAC Championship.
The Rock doubled up the Raiders in shots, 16-8.
SRU also had seven corner kicks, while Shippensburg managed just one.
Box Score
Slippery Rock Recap
Shippensburg Recap
East Stroudsburg Outlasts West Chester in Penalty Kicks
West Chester, Pa. - The defending PSAC Champions from East Stroudsburg entered the PSAC Tournament on a high note after defeating the previously unbeaten Gannon on the final day of the regular season. That momentum carried over to the PSAC Championship, as the Warriors were victorious in penalty kicks over the second seed, West Chester.
Goalkeeper Jules Harris made two saves in the penalty kicks, and freshman Danielle Curran scored the decisive PK for ESU.
Christina Shannon, Kyra Dubost, and Sammi Ortiz also scored penalty kicks for the Warriors.
Box Score
East Stroudsburg Recap
West Chester Recap