West Chester vs East Stroudsburg
Game Details: October 9 I 3 P.M.
Location: Rockwell Field (West Chester, Pa.)
Coverage Links: Live Stats I Video
Series: 41-47-18
WCU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
ESU Links: NEWS I ROSTER I SCHEDULE I STATS
Last Time Out
West Chester improved to 4-0-1 at home on Saturday afternoon with a dominant 2-0 victory over Shepherd as the Golden Rams outscored opponents 5-0 on the week and are currently carrying a 180-minute shutout streak into the second half of their four-game homestand. West Chester opened the scoring early on Saturday afternoon as Owen Slack (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) scored his third goal of the year just under nine minutes into the match with a rocket from just outside the box off a double assist from Peter Tichy (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) and Tommy Bodenschatz (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford). West Chester doubled its lead just before halftime when Bodenschatz was fouled in the box and buried the ensuing PK to give West Chester a comfortable two-goal advantage. A one-goal lead would have been enough on Saturday afternoon as Jaden Howard (Townsend, Del./Middletown) was excellent in goal once again, making seven saves, including four in the second half, improving to 4-1-1 and posting his fourth shutout of the season.
Flock Talk
While Howard has been excellent in goal for West Chester in recent weeks, playing to a mark of 4-1-1 with a 0.83 goals-against average and four shutouts, West Chester has also had an offensive uptick in recent weeks that would make any coach smile. A year ago, West Chester ended a tremendous season in the NCAA Tournament with a scoreless draw against Post, finishing the year with 30 goals, averaging 1.43 per game. So far in 2024, West Chester is averaging 2.10 goals per game with 21 scored as the team appears on track to match or potentially surpass its 37 goals scored in 2022. 37 goals scored has been a relatively normal number for Coach Michael Benn and the Golden Rams, as they have hit this plateau four times (2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022) since 2016.
Bodenschatz is tied with Maksym Komperda (Whitehall, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) and Tichy for the team lead in points with nine each, while Komperda holds a slim 4-3 lead in goals scored. Four Golden Rams have scored three goals this year as Bodenschatz, Tichy, Slack, and Devven Frey (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) have all found the back of the net three times through the first 10 games of the year. Bodenschatz is also tied with Mason Clatterbuck (Conshohocken, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh) and Jason Goldfeder (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cedar Cliff) for the team lead in assists with three each.
We Are Honored
West Chester swept PSAC East Athlete of the Week honors this week as Bodenschatz and Howard were named PSAC East Athlete and Defensive Athlete of the Week. Bodenschatz became the third Golden Ram to earn Athlete of the Week honors this year after scoring the game-winner vs. Millersville on Wednesday and recording a goal and an assist on the eventual game-winner vs Shepherd on Saturday. Howard was a brick wall in goal for West Chester this week, making 17 saves throughout two games (10 vs Millersville; 7 vs Shepherd) to capture two shutouts and increase his season total to four while lowering his goals-against average to 0.83 on the season. West Chester has earned at least one PSAC weekly award in three of five weeks this season, leading the PSAC Eastinto the final week of the opening round of Eastern Division play.
Home Sweet Home
West Chester remained unbeaten at home on Saturday afternoon with its 2-0 victory over Shepherd. This year, West Chester has outscored opponents 11-3 in games on Rockwell, including shutout victories over Southern Connecticut State, Millersville, and Shepherd.
Series History
ESU holds a 47-41-18 lead in the all-time series against West Chester and is currently on a five-game unbeaten streak vs. the Golden Rams. West Chester has not defeated ESU since October 2021, when it topped the Warriors by a 1-0 final, part of a 12-game Golden Ram unbeaten streak dating back to 2015.
Scouting ESU
On Wednesday afternoon, West Chester will host an ESU team that recently halted a two-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over Shippensburg and now enters play looking to improve to 5-2-2 overall and 3-1-1 in league action. ESU started PSAC East play with a 1-1 draw at Bloomsburg before posting a 3-1 home victory over Shepherd and falling to Millersville by a 0-1 final on the road on September 28. On October 5, the Warriors halted a two-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over Shippensburg, scoring the first three goals of the game and using this advantage to hold off the upset-minded Raiders.
Ignasi Cucurella scored his third goal of the year in the 39th minute via a PK before the Warriors scored twice in a three-minute span in the second half to make it a 3-0 lead entering the late stages of the match. In goal, Helgi Hermannsson made one save while also allowing one PK goal to help his Warriors improve to 2-1-1 in league play.
Cucurella and Cayetano Diaz both scored goals on Saturday afternoon to keep pace atop the team scoring chart with 10 points, as Cucurella leads the team in assists with four to go along with his three goals, while Diaz has scored a team-high four goals to go along with two assists. Hermannsson has been a fixture in goal throughout the year, playing to a record of 4-2-2 with a 0.88 goals-against average.
East Stroudsburg is just 1-1-2 in games played away from home this year and has not won on the road since a 5-1 victory at Adelphi on September 14, following a scoreless draw at Mercy to open the season on September 5. Further, ESU has not mustered a goal away from home since the 67th minute of a 1-1 draw at Bloomsburg on September 18.
