The Lock Haven field hockey team captured its 11th Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship this afternoon, defeating East Stroudsburg University, 4-0, on McCollum Field. With Lock Haven’s 2000 championship, the win marks the first back-to-back titles in the conference since LHU’s strings of three from 1994-96. Lady East forwards Shannon Spease (Liverpool/Greenwood) was selected as the PSAC Championship MCP, tallying two goals and two assists in the victory.
The Haven controlled the tempo for the greater part of the game, and with just over 11 minutes into play, Shannon Spease secured the ball after a quick scuffle in front of the goal and sliced it into the back of the cage. Lock Haven scored twice more within the next ten minutes, both times Spease finding Val George (New Oxford/New Oxford) breaking toward the cage, first on a quick left pass, then on a fast break down the middle of the field. George connected on both scoring opportunities to give LHU the 3-0 halftime advantage.
Both teams buckled down in the second half, as strong defensive play stopped several scoring chances for both squads. In the 51st minute, Lock Haven was awarded a penalty stroke. Spease stepped up to take the shot, evading the keeper with a ball into the back left corner of the cage for the 4-0 LHU lead and eventual final score.
In goal, East Stroudsburg’s Kelly Wagner (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) stopped 17 shots on goal, while Lock Haven’s Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene) posted a total of six saves while earning her 12th shutout victory of the season.
1 2 Final
Lock Haven (20-1, 7-1 PSAC) 3 1 4
East Stroudsburg (15-6, 6-2 PSAC) 0 0 0
Scoring Summary
Goal by (team) Assisted by Time
Shannon Spease (LHU) ---- 11:15
Val George (LHU) Spease 16:06
George (LHU) Spease 20:37
Spease (LHU) [penalty stroke] 50:59
Other Information
Team LHU OPP
Shots on Goal 23 7
Corners 9 3
Penalty Strokes 1 0
Goalie Saves 6 17
Goalkeeper Information
Goalie (Team) Min SV GA
Tara Beach (LHU) 70 6 0
Kelly Wagner (ESU) 70 17 4