FROSTBURG, Md.- Needing a win to punch its ticket to the PSAC Tournament, the West Chester University field hockey team (12-6, 5-4) ventured to Maryland to finish its regular season with a matchup against Frostburg State (6-11, 2-7). West Chester erased an early first-quarter deficit with a three-goal first-half performance to post an impressive 5-1 victory over Frostburg State and return to the PSAC Tournament after missing the field for the first time in recent memory a year ago.
With tonight's victory, West Chester earned the fifth seed in the PSAC Tournament and will return to action on Monday afternoon at Bloomsburg beginning at 4 p.m. Additional information on that matchup, including important ticket information, will be made available later in the weekend.
Jasmine Miller (Millersville, Pa./Penn Manor) led the way for West Chester offensively, logging her fourth hat trick of the season as the senior forward scored the first four goals of the game before the Golden Rams added two more in the third quarter.
Frostburg State scored first just over seven minutes in to take an early lead, but West Chester answered quickly as Miller the game at 1-1 with a goal in the 10
th minute before giving West Chester a 2-1 lead with her second goal of the first period at the 13-minute mark off an assist from
Ella Shockley (Delmar, Del./Delmar).
Miller scored her third goal of the game for her fourth hat trick of the season off an assist from
Paige Wolfe (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West), which gave the visitors a commanding 3-1 lead.
West Chester ended the first half with a two-goal lead and an 8-6 lead in shots, while shots on goal were even at 5-5, and corners were locked at 4-4.
West Chester stretched its lead to three just seconds into the second half when Miller scored her fourth of the night off an assist from Maryland native
Caitlyn Szarko (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) to give West Chester a commanding 4-1 lead.
Veerle Hersman (Lisse, The Netherlands/Rijnlands Lyceum Sassenheim) stretched the lead to 5-1 late in the third quarter with a successful penalty stroke to extend the lead to four in the PSAC Tournament clinching victory.
West Chester ended the game with an 18-9 lead in shots and an 11-7 lead in shots on goal, while Frostburg ended the match with a 9-6 edge in corners after registering three corners in an ill-fated fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
Ryan Curley (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) played well in goal once again, registering six saves in the victory.
Up Next:
West Chester will be back in action on Monday afternoon in the PSAC Quarterfinals at Bloomsburg beginning at 4 p.m.
