Field Hockey | 10/24/2017 10:49:00 AM

THE DETAILS
Bloomsburg (9-7, 5-3 PSAC) vs West Chester (10-6, 4-4 PSAC)
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 - 4:00 p.m.
Steph Pettit Stadium - Bloomsburg, Pa.

GAME COVERAGE
Live Stats - http://www.sidearmstats.com/bloomu/fhockey/

RELATED LINKS
Bloomsburg - Schedule | Roster | Statistics
West Chester - Schedule | Roster | Statistics

STORYLINE
Bloomsburg and West Chester are both in the picture for making the PSAC tournament as the Huskies currently sit in fourth place in the standings and can clinch a spot with a win over the Golden Rams. A West Chester victory on Wednesday would cause a four-way tie (Bloomsburg, Kutztown, Slippery Rock, West Chester) for the final three playoff spots with one game remaining. *Kutztown is home against East Stroudsburg on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. for its final conference game of the regular season.

ALL-TIME SERIES
West Chester leads the all-time series against Bloomsburg, 8-4. Earlier this season, the Golden Rams handed the Huskies a 5-1 setback in West Chester - the only non one-goal loss Bloomsburg has suffered this season. Kaitlin Hatch scored twice for the Golden Rams while Caitlin Kelly, Rachal Toppi, and Caitie McNamara added the other tallies. Junior Abby Sauder (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal) scored the lone goal for the Huskies with 9:04 left in regulation.

LAST TIME OUT FOR BOTH TEAMS
Junior Brooke Zeiders (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) and senior MacKenna Mahan (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) scored five minutes apart early in the second half to erase a 1-0 deficit and to lift Bloomsburg to a 2-1 victory over visiting IUP last Saturday. Freshman goalkeeper Dana Sheply (Maple Shade, N.J./Maple Shade) made the lead stand with four saves after the Huskies took the lead - including three straight stops on IUP's Matti Reightler with 90 seconds left in regulation. She finished with six saves to improve to 7-6 on the year.

West Chester is coming off of a 7-0 shutout win over visiting Mercyhurst last Saturday. Kaitlin Hatch scored three times and added an assist in the win. Rachal Toppi scored twice while Emily Evans and Katie Thompson added single tallies in the victory. The Golden Rams outshot the Lakers, 28-4, including a 21-1 margin in the first half.

SCOUTING BLOOMSBURG
The Huskies enter the matchup with a 9-7 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the PSAC - fourth-place in the league standings. Bloomsburg can secure a spot in the PSAC tournament with a victory over West Chester on Wednesday. The Huskies are fifth in the league in scoring average (2.63) but are just eighth in the conference in scoring defense (1.69). Senior MacKenna Mahan (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) leads the Huskies in scoring with ten goals and five assists for 25 points. She has established career-highs in all three categories and is currently tied for sixth in the PSAC in goals and points. She is also tied for sixth in the conference with a team-leading three game-winning goals. Four other players have eclipsed double digits in points this season - junior Brooke Zeiders (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) (six goals, three assists), junior Abby Sauder (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal) (six goals, two assists), senior Geneka Mahan (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) (five goals, two assists), and sophomore Ali McKay (Dover, Del./Polytech) (three goals, five assists). Senior Sally DeLuca (West Pittston, Pa./Wyoming Area) is tied for the PSAC lead in defensive saves with seven while junior Jackie Shragher (Holland, Pa./Council Rock South) is tied for fourth with five. In goal, freshman Dana Sheply (Maple Shade, N.J./Maple Shade) has seen a majority of the time this season as she has started 13 of the team's 16 games. She is 7-6 with a 1.67 goals against average and a .732 save percentage. She ranks sixth in the PSAC in saves per game (4.62), seventh in goals against average, and seventh in save percentage. Freshman Hannah Barnard (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) has started the other three games and is 2-1 with a 1.35 goals against average and an .815 save percentage.
 
SCOUTING WEST CHESTER
West Chester is 10-6 overall and 4-4 in the PSAC standings - currently on the outside looking in for a postseason berth. The Golden Rams are second in the league in scoring average (3.44) and fourth in the league in scoring defense (1.25). Kaitlin Hatch and Rachal Toppi are the focal points of the offense. Hatch leads the PSAC in points (38) and ranks second in the league in goals (15) and tied for third in assists (8). Toppi, meanwhile, is third in the league in points (30), fourth in goals (12), and tied for sixth in assists (6). Caitlin Kelly (seven goals, three assists), Katie Thompson (five goals, five assists), Mackenzie Mlkvy (six goals, one assists) and Caitie McNamara (four goals, four assists) are also in double figures. In goal, Marissa Elizardo has played all but 74 minutes this season and is 10-6 with a 1.33 goals against average and a .697 save percentage. She is fifth in the PSAC in goals against average and is fifth in shutouts (3).

UP NEXT
The Huskies will travel to Seton Hill University on Saturday, October 28, to close out the 2017 regular season. Start time is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.