EAST STROUDSBURG, PA – A different location, but the same outcome awaited West Chester, as the host and second-ranked East Stroudsburg Warriors downed the visiting Golden Rams, 1-0, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) field hockey showdown at Whitenight Field Tuesday afternoon.
West Chester (11-6, 4-4 PSAC) stood toe-to-toe with East Stroudsburg (14-3, 6-2) for another 60 minutes. However, ESU negotiated another 1-0 victory over WCU – similar to the meeting in West Chester in late September – and came one step closer to solidifying the second seed in the upcoming conference tournament next week.
The Golden Rams still have one more league game remaining – that coming on Friday afternoon at Frostburg State – and a win in that contest could still set them up to make the postseason. However, it is now a must-win situation for the Purple & Gold.
Bella Viruet scored the game's only goal in the 20th minute when she collected a rebound off a teammate's shot and wristed her attempt past a screened
Ryan Curley (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) into the back of the cage. It would prove to be enough for the Warriors, who played stellar defensively all afternoon.
Curley made four saves in the contest. Sydney Pope made one save in the second half for ESU. Jet Vermuelen started the tilt and did not have to make a save.
The Golden Rams travel to Frostburg, Md., on Friday for a 4 p.m. start to the regular-season finale. West Chester will be searching for a win in that game to grab a spot in the postseason tournament. Should West Chester qualify for the PSAC Tournament, the quarterfinal round games will be played on Monday, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. at the site of the higher seed.
