WEST CHESTER, PA – Host West Chester erased a two-goal deficit early to come from behind and defeat visiting Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 3-2, in double overtime in the quarterfinals of the 2025 PSAC Field Hockey Tournament at Vonnie Gros Field Tuesday evening.
Ella Shockley (Delmar, DE/Delmar) scored the game-winning goal on a penalty corner in the 78th minute.
West Chester (13-5) moves on to the PSAC Semifinals Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. to take on the top-seeded Kutztown Golden Bears at Andre Reed Stadium. IUP (9-7) saw its season come to a close with the defeat.
The Crimson Hawks scored the first two goals of the game to open up a significant lead in the first eight minutes of the game. IUP found pay dirt on two of its first three shots on West Chester's goal. Jess Davidson opened the scoring in the third minute with a nice individual effort, and Lilly Fringer notched an unassisted tally five minutes later to give the Crimson Hawks a 2-0 lead.
West Chester was unfazed by the quick onslaught and began picking away at the deficit they found themselves in.
Caitlynn Szarko (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) cut the deficit in half before the first quarter was out. Her seventh goal of the season made it a 2-1 game at the end of the first quarter.
From there, IUP settled back into a defensive posture, reluctant to push forward. The Crimson Hawks did not take a shot in either the second or third quarters and went almost 42 minutes without a shot in the game. Following Fringer's goal in the first, IUP didn't attempt another shot until the 50th minute of the game – and that shot came two minutes after
Veerle Hersman (Lisse, The Netherlands) had tied the game on a penalty corner off an insert from
Laura Rogers (Delmar, DE/Delmar).
The Crimson Hawks switched their tactics over the last ten minutes, firing off nine shots in an attempt to regain its lead. However, West Chester goalkeeper,
Alina Burger (Koenigs Wusterhausen, Brandenburg, Germany) steered aside all seven of the shots that made their way on goal to keep the game even.
West Chester kept creeping its defenders forward to keep applying the pressure until they knotted the score. The comeback marked the third time this fall that the Golden Rams have come from behind to win a game and the second time that lead was a multiple-goal challenge.
"They are relentless, and believe in themselves and the process," West Chester head coach
Amy Cohen said afterwards.
As for the play of Burger in the cage, it was not the first time that she entered a game after it began and kept the opposition at bay.
"Look, we have three excellent goalies," Cohen explained. "I felt a change may provide a spark and it worked."
Burger finished the game with 10 saves in 68 minutes of work without allowing a goal. She earned the win in the process.
Audra Symborski (Furlong, Pa./Central Bucks East) made one save before being relieved by Burger. Midfielder,
Lana Hughes (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) made one clutch defensive save early in the second overtime to preserve the tie.
