No. 2 Millersville Defeats No. 4 West Chester 1-0 in NCAA Quarterfinals

Box Score

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – No. 2 Millersville shutout two time defending NCAA Division II Field Hockey champion No. 4 West Chester, 1-0, Saturday afternoon inside Biemesderfer Stadium in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

West Chester (14-6) suffered its first loss in NCAA tournament play since becoming a Division II program in 2011. The Golden Rams captured the title in 2011 and 2012. The Marauders (19-2) move on to face no.1 Shippensburg in the national semifinals, which will be held at the National Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va. on Nov. 22.
 
After West Chester had already recorded six penalty corners and five shots, Sarah Bomberger of Millersville scored the games' only goal.

Millersville drew a penalty corner just past the 26-minute mark, Bomberger entered the ball to Rachel Dickinson at the top of the circle, who shot toward the left post and Bomberger redirected the ball into the goal for her eighth tally of the season.

Audree Bonavita recorded four saves in goal for West Chester. Marauder goalkeeper Lauren Sotzin recorded her 11th shutout of the season and third consecutive in the postseason with three saves.

The Marauders withstood the Golden Rams early push and a final blitz that ended with the potential game-tying shot by Stef Pirri was blocked in front of the cage with 17 seconds to go.

Millersville entered the 2013 season 0-8 all-time against West Chester, but won all four meetings this season including two, 1-0 victories in the last week.

The loss marks the end of the careers for five seniors at West Chester; Lauren McGinley, who played one season for the Golden Rams, and Abbey Hordendorf, who was part of the 2012 NCAA championship team. Forward Megan Callanan also concluded her third season with the Golden Rams after helping West Chester win a pair of national championships each of the past two years. West Chester also says good-bye to captains' Stef Pirri and Nancy Stehman, along with Kelsi Lykens the PSAC Athlete of the year in 2013. All three collected two Division II National Championships while playing for the Golden Rams.