Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – West Chester received goals from Lara Bodenstab, Melissa McKeary and Sarah Oswald as the top-seeded Golden Rams defeated the fourth-seeded Bloomsburg Huskies, 3-0, in PSAC quarterfinal women’s soccer action Tuesday afternoon at South Campus Field.
West Chester (17-1-1) moves on to face Indiana (Pa.) (13-5-1), who defeated Mercyhurst (12-7-1), in the semifinals on Friday at 11 a.m. right back at South Campus Field. The other semifinal will pit California (Pa.) (16-4-1) against Kutztown (14-4-2) at approximately 1:30 p.m. following the WCU-IUP game.
IUP downed Mercyhurst at home, 1-0, while Kutztown took care of East Stoudsburg, 4-1, at home as well. Cal upended Gannon at home, 2-0.
“I don’t think we played our best soccer today,” WCU head coach Betty Ann Kempf Townsley said. “But, we continued to fight and created a few scoring opportunities and that’s what we really need to do.
“We have a very young team and some of them were nervous. That’s to be expected. Bloomsburg had a good game plan, and I think they tested us a few times in certain situations.”
Bodenstab’s tally came just nine minutes into the contest as she banged home a feed from Heather Manorek. McKeary found the net in the 37th minute, set up on an outstanding feed from Oswald, who leads the PSAC in assists with 13.
Oswald added a goal in the 84th minute on a breakaway, the 40th of her career, which pushed her career point total to 99. She is third all-time in both categories at the school.
The Golden Rams’ defense was once again stifling. The West Chester backs allowed just four shots on goal in the game to record the team’s 17th shutout this season.
Freshman goalkeeper Lyndie Bernardini continues to re-write the West Chester record book with her 16th straight shutout for the Golden Rams. Bernardini made four saves, increasing her consecutive scoreless string to 1,224 minutes.
Huskies goalkeeper Frances Nicoletti was strong in net for the Huskies, despite taking the loss. Nicoletti stopped 10 West Chester shots.
NOTES: West Chester recorded its 17th shutout of the season and its 13th straight blanking … West Chester has now won 11 straight games and is unbeaten in 17 … West Chester has allowed just two goals all year … West Chester improved to 10-0 at home … the Golden Rams have not allowed a goal at home all year, outscoring opponents, 33-0 … Lyndsie Bernardini has 1,224 consecutive scoreless minutes in goal … she has recorded 16 shutouts this season … she is 17-1-1 in goal … her 17 wins is second all-time in a single season to Hilary Smart (21 in 2006) … Bernardini lowered her goals-against average to 0.11 … that is currently the lowest single-season GAA for a goalie in school history (0.15 Hilary Smart in 2006) … Sarah Oswald scored her 40th career goal … she is third all-time at the school (66 Heather Allgyer, 64 Julie Karcher) … she has 99 career points, which is third all-time as well (161 Heather Allgyer, 143 Julie Karcher).
