SEATTLE, WA – Doing something eight times in an 11-year span can sometimes seem like old-hat. But, when you weren't expected to advance this far to begin with, teams don't have to find ways to motivate themselves. It is already there.
West Chester (15-4) takes on Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rival Shippensburg (15-3) Thursday evening at 8 p.m. EST at Renton Memorial Stadium in Renton, Wash., for the right to play for the national championship on Saturday. Thursday's semifinal is a rematch of the 2021 national title game.
"I think it's really important to have some fun when you get to this point in the season," West Chester head coach
Amy Cohen said. "I don't think there is anything more to teach. I just want to make sure our team is comfortable and enjoying every moment out here."
Ticket information, directions and GPS addresses for the venue and much more is all available at this
LINK.
This year's national semifinals and championship is part of the Division II Fall Festival, which brings the national finals in six sports together in one place for an Olympics-style event. The Festival is the only such event hosted by the NCAA. This year's Festival is the 12th of its kind since it began in 2004. This year is the sixth such Festival for fall sports.
"The weather and the field conditions took a little getting used to," West Chester forward
Paige Wolfe said after her squad's 75-minute training session at Renton Memorial Stadium. "The ball speed is what took getting used to, and I think the team is coming together well."
West Chester and Shippensburg are certainly no strangers to one another. Schools separated by 122 miles on the PA Turnpike have traveled 2,797 miles to the West Coast to lock horns once again. It is the 25th meeting all-time between the two sides with the Raiders holding a slim 13-11 margin. Earlier this year, the national powers collided at Vonnie Gros Field with Shippensburg taking a 2-1 victory on a goal in the final minute of regulation. It marked the fifth straight win in the overall series for the Raiders.
