No. 5 West Chester Prepares For No. 10 Queens (NC) In Women's Lacrosse Semifinal Friday

2019 NCAA Semifinal Game Notes

ALLENDALE, Mich. - West Chester University ventures back to the national semifinals for the 11th time in school history and the first since 2012 when the 2019 NCAA Division II National Semifinals get under way at Grand Valley State University Friday afternoon. The Golden Rams (19-2) take on Queens University of Charlotte (NC) (19-2) at 3 p.m.

For West Chester, the national semifinals is nothing new. The Golden Rams are 9-1 all-time in the semifinal match with the lone loss coming at the hands of Limestone College in 2011 in a game played at Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y. All 11 semifinal appearances have come on head coach Ginny Martino's watch. However, this spring, for the first time since West Chester's initial visit to the sport's final weekend, the Golden Rams enter the semifinals without a single player on the squad with final four experience.

This weekend should be a refreshing look for West Chester, which has spent the last two weekends playing the same two teams in what turned out to be identical tournaments at the same location. Seton Hill, Mercyhurst and East Stroudsburg each spent the last two weekends in West Chester, Pa. at Vonnie Gros Field playing the conference tournament and then the NCAA Atlantic Regional tournament. Ironically enough, even the weather was similar. Both the PSAC Championship Game and the Atlantic Region Championship Game were played in driving rain storms each of the past two Sundays.

West Chester has been riding the hot stick of senior midfielder Sami Barnett (Glenolden, Pa.) of late. Affectionately referred to as "pops" because of her white hair, Barnett has scored 15 goals in the team's four playoff games. As a result, she was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) most valuable player of the postseason tournament.

HOW THEY GOT HERE
West Chester University was the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region and hosted the regional tournament. The Golden Rams topped No. 25 Seton Hill, 20-10, in the first round of the regional, and then knocked off No. 14 East Stroudsburg in the championship game of the regional, 16-5. West Chester is the No. 3 seed at the national finals site this weekend, despite being one of just two No. 1 seeds to survive their regional tournament.

Queens (NC) was the fourth seed in the South Region and upset top-seeded and No. 3 Tampa, 16-15, in the first round of the NCAA, before outlasting second-seeded and No. 7 Rollins, 14-13, in overtime in the regional final. Queens is making its first trip to the national semifinals in program history.  
    
SCOUTING QUEENS (NC)
Queens entered the NCAA Tournament on the heels of its sixth consecutive South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Tournament championship in Wingate, N.C. The Royals bring a program-record 16-game winning streak into the national semifinals under head coach Clare Short. Both Short and her assistant, Kelly Hamilton, are no strangers to West Chester University. The two members of the Royals' coaching staff played collegiately in the PSAC at Lock Haven University.

On the field, Queens averages 19 goals per game while surrendering just under eight goals to its opponents. The Royals clear the ball well (85 percent) and do not turn the ball over as much as their opponents. While much of their focus is on offense, the Royals have shown the ability to play defense as well in tight games. If Queens is to be successful against West Chester, it will need to solve the Golden Rams' stingy defense and limit the turnovers. Possession time will be crucial for a team that prides itself on its offense. That will also apply pressure to the Golden Rams' defense.

Katie Wardle leads the team with 58 goals on the season while Ally Blood leads the team in scoring with 97 points. Kara Blanchard and Rachel Perrett each have 53 tallies on the season. Chase Brokaw is the goalkeeper. She sports an 8.58 goals against average and a .537 save percentage in the cage.

REINHART AND CLEMENS AMONG ACTIVE LEADERS
Junior defender Molly Reinhart and sophomore goalkeeper Julianne Clemens are among the all-time active leaders in both caused turnovers per game and goals-against average, respectively. Reinhart averages 2.3 caused turnovers per game over her 40-game career, which ranks her fifth among active leaders in Division II. Meanwhile, Clemens' career 7.11 goals-against average ranks sixth among active Division II goalkeepers.

WCU's 11 APPEARANCES IN SEMIFINALS THIRD MOST
West Chester University is making its 11th appearance in the NCAA Division II national semifinals and that is third best behind LIU-Post (13) and Adelphi (13). West Chester's nine victories all-time in the semifinals is tied with Adelphi for the most in DII history as well. The Golden Rams have lost just once in this round of the national tournament. That was a setback to Limestone in the 2010 semifinal held at Adelphi University. West Chester is 9-1 in this round coming into Friday's action.

WCU's 16 TOURNAMENT WINS SECOND MOST IN DII HISTORY
West Chester University is 16-10 overall in the NCAA Tournament and that number of victories is second only to Adelphi (26) entering this weekend's games. The Golden Rams have been to the NCAAs 13 times and to the national semifinals 11 times while racking up that impressive number of wins along the way. West Chester ended a personal three-game losing streak in the NCAAs last weekned with a win over Seton Hill in the first round. The Rams then avenged a loss to East Stroudsburg University in the region final in 2018 with a 16-5 washout of the Warriors during one of the hardest rainstorms of the spring last Sunday.

WCU's 13 APPEARANCES IN TOURNAMENT THIRD MOST IN DII HISTORY
West Chester University is making its 13th appearance in the NCAA Division II Championships and that is third best behind LIU-Post (16th) and Adelphi (15th). West Chester's 14 victories all-time is tied with LIU-Post for second behind Adelphi, which is way out in front with 24 wins to its credit. The Golden Rams' .583 winning percentage on the national stage is fourth best behind Adelphi (.800), Florida Southern (.700) and Le Moyne (.667).

WEST CHESTER LOOKS FOR 20 ONCE AGAIN
West Chester University is looking for its 20th victory of the season on Friday, which would tie the school record for wins in a single season. The Golden Rams also won 20 games en route to the 2008 national championship. That is the only other time that West Chester has won 20 games in a single season. Over the past two years, the Golden Rams' overall record stands at 38-3.

MAGGIE STELLA NAMED PSAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
West Chester University midfielder Maggie Stella was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) women's lacrosse athlete of the year to headline seven Golden Rams selected to the all-conference team that was announced Thursday. Stella makes her second consecutive appearance on the first team as her 41 goals and 18 assists see her tied atop the team lead in points with 59. Her goal and assist figures both rank third on the team.  Stella is ranked fifth in the PSAC in draw controls per game with 4.76. Her 81 draw controls on the year lead the Golden Rams and ranks fifth in the PSAC. Additionally, Stella registered a hat trick against the No. 1 team in the country (Le Moyne), posted a season-high seven points against nationally ranked Pace and added another five points against nationally ranked East Stroudsburg.

MARTINO ADDING TO HER HALL OF FAME RESUME
West Chester University head coach Ginny Martino will certainly be a shoo-in for a plethora of halls of fame. The NCAA Division II all-time winningest head coach has 328 career victories to her credit, two national championships and has been the architect for one of the most successful women's lacrosse programs in the country over the last two decades. She ranks seventh overall on the all-time wins list (all divisions included) and her .812 career winning percentage ranks 13th overall all-time. In 22 years, all on West Chester's sideline, Martino has won 28 more games than Scott Tucker at Limestone to claim the most wins in DII history. Her seventh-place spot on the overall all-time wins list is solely because she has not coaches nearly as many years as those ahead of her. The College of New Jersey head coach Sharon Pfluger leads the field with 527 wins in 33 years.

ALL IN THE FAMILY FOR THE McKINNEY'S
    West Chester University has a pair of sisters on its 2019 roster – a pair of all-conference sisters at that. Senior Attacker Ryan McKinney and sophomore midfielder Drew McKinney have started nearly all 21 games this season for the Golden Rams. The elder McKinney was a second team All-PSAC selection while the younger sibling was a third-team member. Drew was recruited to the West Chester family out of high school and has been a starting midfielder virtually her entire career in the Purple & Gold. Her sister, Ryan, is another story. Ryan spent three years at LIU-Post playing for the Pioneers and that storied program on Long Island. However, last year, McKinney left that program to join her younger sister, Drew, this spring. This is their first college season together.
    Ryan McKinney has 56 goals, 11 assists and 67 points on the season while Drew has amassed 18 goals, 6 assists and 24 points. Together, the McKinney's have 74 goals, 17 assists and 91 points.

SEVEN GOLDEN RAMS NAMED ALL-LEAGUE
West Chester University midfielder Maggie Stella was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) women's lacrosse athlete of the year to headline seven Golden Rams selected to the all-conference team that was announced Thursday.

Sami Barnett joined Stella on the first team while Ryan McKinney, Tatum Altman, Brenna Lynch and Molly Reinhart found themselves on the second team.  Midfielder Drew McKinney was also a third team selection.

Stella makes her second consecutive appearance on the first team as her 41 goals and 18 assists see her tied atop the team lead in points with 59. Her goal and assist figures both rank third on the team.  Stella is ranked fifth in the PSAC in draw controls per game with 4.76. Her 81 draw controls on the year lead the Golden Rams and ranks fifth in the PSAC. Additionally, Stella registered a hat trick against the No. 1 team in the country (Le Moyne), posted a season-high seven points against nationally ranked Pace and added another five points against nationally ranked East Stroudsburg.

Barnett makes her fourth appearance on the all-conference team, and her second consecutive on the top unit. The Glenolden native is second on the team in scoring, totaling 43 goals, while her 16 assists find her tied with Stella and Altman for the team lead in points. She ranks sixth in the PSAC in scoring as well.  Barnett started all 17 games for the Golden Rams and registered at least a point in 16 of 17 contests.

Ryan McKinney, a senior transfer from LIU Post, makes her first appearance on the all-league team. A second team selection, McKinney's 46 goals lead the Golden Rams' attack while her 2.71 goals per game rank ninth best in the PSAC. McKinney found herself on the scoresheet in 15 of 17 games, while scoring two or more goals in 14 of those contests.

Altman received honors for the second consecutive year as her balanced approach saw a 59-point contribution on the season, which also tied for the team lead in points. Her 1.94 assists per game stand as fifth in the PSAC overall, while her 28 goals and 31 assists garnered 3.69 points per game, landing her ninth in the PSAC in that category.

Lynch received all league honors for the second consecutive season. She caused 26 turnovers and has 42 ground balls to her credit this spring. Lynch is a huge reason the Golden Rams have surrendered the fewest goals among schools in the conference this season. The Golden Rams' defense ranks fourth in the country in scoring defense.

Reinhart, a junior defender, has continued her stout work on the back line. She has 36 caused turnovers and picked up 36 ground balls. Her 2.21 caused turnovers per game find her ninth in the PSAC as the defender's play has been a big reason that West Chester's scoring defense is tops in the conference based on scoring margin.  Reinhart headlines the defense that ranks sixth in the country in caused turnovers.

Drew McKinney, younger sister to Ryan, received her second consecutive third team selection as she's started all 17 games for the Golden Rams. The local product from Downingtown West High School scored 14 goals this spring with six assists to her credit. But, more importantly, the midfielder has 27 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers to her name. Her 32 draw controls rank third on the team.