WEST CHESTER, PA – Valerie van Kuijck (Denbosch, Netherlands) and Paige Wolfe (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) each scored a pair of goals, and senior Emily Ingalls (Zionsville, Pa./Emmaus) notched her first career goal as West Chester closed the regular season with a 7-0 shutout over visiting Mansfield at a brisk and overcast Vonnie Gros Field Saturday.
West Chester (13-3, 7-2 PSAC) finished the regular season in third place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference standings and will host a quarterfinal round game in the playoffs next week at 4 pm. Their opponent will be determined later Saturday evening when Kutztown and IUP play at 7 pm. Manfield finished the campaign at 9-9 overall and 4-6 in conference play.
Ingalls tipped in a pass from van Kuijck out in front of the cage with 28 seconds remaining in the first quarter to put the Golden Rams on top early. West Chester added a two more goals in the second, before scoring twice more in both the third and fourth to put the game away.
Van Kuijck finished with two goals, giving her 16 on the season, and one assist for a five-point afternoon. She leads the squad in scoring with 38 points. Dara Spavlik (Hockessin, Del./Conrad) scored once and added two assists while Montana Ott (Mount Bethel, Pa./Bangor) had a goal and an assist.
West Chester honored its eight seniors in a ceremony before the game. Senior Autumn Gager (York, Pa./Penn Manor) was surprised before the game by her brother, Zach, who returned home from the Army to catch his sister's final home game.
