Top-Ranked West Chester Set For National Semifinals Thursday

NCAA.com feature on Nikki Bennett

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Top-seeded and top-ranked West Chester University is set for its national semifinal field hockey matchup against PSAC rival and second-ranked Millersville University Thursday at 1 p.m. at Trager Field on the campus of the University of Louisville.
 
The field hockey national championships are part of the NCAA Division II Fall Festival being hosted by Bellarmine University all week long in Louisville, Ky. The Marauders defeated Shippensburg in the quarterfinal round, 2-1, to advance to the semifinals. The other semifinal pits former PSAC member, LIU-Post (17-3) against Stonehill (17-3) on Thursday at 4 p.m. The national championship game is set for Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
 
Admission for Thursday's game is $15 for adults and $5 for youths and students from member institutions. All session passes are available for $30 for adults and $15 for youths and students from member institutions. A free live video webcast and live stats will be available via www.ncaa.com.
 
It will be the fourth time this year that the Golden Rams (18-2) and Marauders (18-3) have met with West Chester winning two of the previous three encounters. The two teams split their regular season meetings with each winning at home. Then, the two teams ended up facing one another in the PSAC Championship with West Chester ending up on top in a 3-0 shutout.
 
West Chester is going for its third national title in four years since joining the ranks of Division II. The Golden Rams historically do well on the national stage, showing a 6-1 record in the national tournament, since moving to Division II. Overall, West Chester field hockey has won six national titles when you include its four straight AIAW crowns from 1975 to 1978.
 
They will also try to get some revenge on Millersville as the Golden Rams suffered their only loss in the National tournament to the skills of the Marauders in the first round of last year's National tournament.
The Marauders are 1-1 in the National tournament in the last four years as 2013 was their first time in the tournament to date.