West Chester at Millersville
Game Details: October 30 I 7 P.M.
Location: Pucillo Field (Millersville, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video
Series: 28-24-5
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Millersville Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
West Chester ventured to West Virginia on Saturday afternoon in search of a victory, which would have improved its PSAC Tournament aspirations and kept the team within striking distance of the Eastern Division regular season title for at least another game. Shepherd had other ideas, shocking the Golden Rams with an early goal, which the Rams made hold up to pull off a stunning 1-0 upset victory over its Northern foes. Saturday afternoon’s setback marked Shepherd’s first win over West Chester since September 2012.
Flock Talk
After a terrific first month and a half of the season offensively, West Chester has seen its offense go dormant in recent games, finding itself on the wrong end of a shutout in three of the last four games, being outscored 4-2 with its lone two goals coming in a 2-0 victory over Shippensburg on Rockwell Field on October 23. Maksym Komperda (Whitehall, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) and Owen Slack (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) are tied for first on the team in goals with each, while Peter Tichy (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) leads the group in points with 13 thanks to four goals and five assists on the season. Tommy Bodenschatz (Royersford, Pa./Spring Ford) is close behind with three goals and four assists for 10 points, just one-point back of Komperda and Slack for a tie for second.
In goal, Jaden Howard (Townsend, Del./Middletown) continues to have a strong sophomore season as he enters play with a record of 6-4-1 with five shutouts and a 1.00 goals-against average.
Bouncing Back
Since the beginning of last season, West Chester is 9-2-3 in games following a loss or tie, including a 2-1 victory over Gannon in the PSAC Semifinals after a loss to end the regular season and a tie to open the PSAC Tournament. West Chester is also 4-1-1 in such games in 2024, including a 5-0 win over Holy Family after a 1-1 draw at Jefferson and a 4-2 win over Bloomsburg after a 4-0 setback at Mercy.
Spooky Season
Under head coach Michael Benn, West Chester is 57-18-8 in games played in October, including a mark of 9-1-0 in 2013 and a perfect 7-0-0 in 2017 when West Chester went unbeaten and untied through PSAC East play before falling to ESU on PKs in the PSAC Semifinals on 11/3. In recent years, October has not been as kind to the Golden Rams as West Chester is just 10-7-3 in October in the last three seasons (3-1-2, 2023; 3-3-1; 2022).
Taking Shape
With just two games to play and a record of 5-3-0 in league play, West Chester is in precarious position heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. After losing to Shepherd on Saturday, the Golden Rams remain in second with 15 points but are only two points clear of Millersville and four points up on ESU, both of whom West Chester will face to end the season. West Chester does currently hold a tiebreak over both of these teams after a pair of wins on Rockwell Field earlier this season. At the top of the table, Bloomsburg is likely preparing to host the PSAC Final Four as the Huskies lead the way with 22 points at 7-1-1 on the year as the first team in the PSAC to clinch a playoff spot.
Series History
West Chester holds a slim 28-24-5 lead in the all-time series against Millersville, although the Golden Rams have seen this advantage decrease in recent years as Millersville has won three of the last four meetings. Two of the 56 meetings between the two teams have come in PSAC Championship games since 2018, with the Marauders escaping in both 2018 and 2023. West Chester and Millersville also have some familiar faces, as Marauder goalkeeper Jake Van Voorhees was once a Golden Ram, while Golden Rams Devven Frey (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) and Christian Vorchheimer (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) started their careers as Marauders.
West Chester earned a win in the first matchup between the two rivals on Rockwell Field to start October, triumphing by a 3-0 margin. Tommy Bodenschatz (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) scored the winner in the 40th minute off an assist from Jack Dieffenderfer (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg), which also gave the Golden Rams a one-goal lead at the half. West Chester scored twice in the final minutes of regulation as Frey scored in the 81st minute, while Cooper Jackson (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) scored a goal of his own in the 83rd to help lead West Chester. Jaden Howard (Townsend, Del./Middletown) was excellent in goal, making 10 stops to record the shutout and eventually earn PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Scouting Millersville
Millersville enters play looking to halt a two-game winless streak, although the Marauders have still won three of their last five overall, including a 4-0 win over Shepherd and a pair of 1-0 victories over Mercy and Shippensburg. The Marauders played to a scoreless draw at East Stroudsburg on Saturday night in their second of two straight away from home but will now return home to play two of three on Pucillo Field to end the season. Millersville is 4-1-0 at home this year with its lone setback coming in its home opener on September 8 against Ashland by a 1-0 final.
On Saturday night, East Stroudsburg played to a scoreless draw at East Stroudsburg, despite the warriors ending the match with a 15-8 lead in shots. Jake Van Vorhees made four saves, while his counterpart, Kevin Kretschman, made one save on the Marauders lone shot on goal.
Matias Schmidt and Ricky Valverde are tied for first on the team in goals with four each and Schmidt leads the team in points with nine thanks to hs one assist. Tylen Thomas leads the team in assists with three, while also being one of six players to score a goal so far this season. Van Vorhees has been excellent in goal, playing to a record of 6-3-1 with a 0.67 goals-against average and six shutouts.
