Women's Soccer | 11/1/2018 10:05:00 PM

2018 PSAC WOMEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

THE DETAILS
#7 Bloomsburg (14-2-2 - #1 PSAC) vs West Chester (13-4-1 - #4 PSAC)
PSAC Semifinals
Friday, November 2, 2018 - 11:00 a.m.
Steph Pettit Stadium - Bloomsburg, Pa.

#22 Millersville (14-4 - #3 PSAC) vs East Stroudsburg (12-5-1 - #7 PSAC)
PSAC Semifinals
Friday, November 2, 2018 - 1:30 p.m.
Steph Pettit Stadium - Bloomsburg, Pa.

PSAC Championship
Sunday, November 4, 2018 - 1:00 p.m.
Steph Pettit Stadium - Bloomsburg, Pa.

TICKETS
Students with a valid PSAC ID: Free
Adult General Admission: $10
Student General Admission: $5

GAME COVERAGE
PSAC Tournament Central Page

STORYLINE
The seventh-ranked Bloomsburg University women's soccer team puts a 12-match unbeaten streak (10-0-2) on the line when it hosts West Chester University in a PSAC Semifinal match on Friday morning at Steph Pettit Stadium. The Huskies are looking for their first PSAC Championship since 2002 while the Golden Rams have not won the title since 2010. Bloomsburg got here with a 4-1 victory over Slippery Rock on Tuesday in the quarterfinals while West Chester blanked Lock Haven, 2-0, also on Tuesday afternoon. The other semifinal match on Friday features Millersville, the third seed, against seventh-seeded East Stroudsburg. Millersville knocked off Seton Hill, 2-0, in the quarterfinals while East Stroudsburg provided the first upset of the tournament as it defeated second-seeded Kutztown in the quarterfinals by an identical 2-0 final. The winners of the two semifinals will meet for the 2018 PSAC Championship on Sunday, November 4, at 1:00 p.m.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
West Chester leads the all-time series against Bloomsburg, 21-14-3. However, back on September 23, the Huskies upset the then fifth-ranked Golden Rams, 1-0, at Steph Pettit Stadium. Senior Allie Barber (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) provided the only goal of the game as her 61st-minute strike was enough to propel the Huskies to the victory. Bloomsburg held the slight advantage in shots, 16-12, as redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Jenna Hawkins (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood) posted a season-high seven saves on the day. The last time the two teams met in the postseason was in last season's PSAC quarterfinals where the Golden Rams eliminated the Huskies with a 1-0 victory in West Chester.

IN THE RANKINGS
According to the polls released on Tuesday, the Huskies climbed three more spots and are now ranked seventh in the country according to the United Soccer Coaches Division II national poll. Bloomsburg also claimed the top spot in the Atlantic Region for the second consecutive week, also revealed by the United Soccer Coaches on Tuesday. Bloomsburg was last in the Division II national poll on September 28, 2010 when it was ranked 13th in the country. That season also marked the last time the Huskies advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs. In the NCAA Division II regional rankings released on Wednesday, the Huskies were, again, voted as the top team in the Atlantic Region. West Chester, meanwhile, was fifth in the latest NCAA Division II regional rankings.
 
SCOUTING BLOOMSBURG
Bloomsburg found itself in a position on Tuesday afternoon that it had been in only one other time this season - trailing at halftime. But, the Huskies exploded for four goals in the second half - two from senior Allie Barber (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) and one each from junior Megan Callan (Sykesville, Md./Century) and sophomore Maggie McDonald (Burke, Va./West Potomac) - to post the 4-1 victory over Slippery Rock in the PSAC Quarterfinals. The win extended the team's unbeaten streak to 12 straight - the program's longest since going 16-0-4 during a 20-game stretch in the 1998 season which was the second of three PSAC Championships in the school's history. The win was the first conference tournament victory for the Huskies since a 1-0 win over West Chester in the quarterfinal round of the 2004 playoffs. Bloomsburg had been 0-8 in postseason games, prior to Tuesday afternoon, since that opening round victory 14 years ago. Hawkins tied the school record for most shutouts in a single season as she recorded her PSAC-leading 12th of the year last Saturday in the regular season finale against Edinboro. The record was previously solely held by Heather Hartman during the 2001 season. The goal by Slippery Rock on Tuesday in the PSAC quarterfinal snapped Hawkins' consecutive minutes played streak without allowing a goal at 523:56 and stopped the team's streak at 613:56 without conceding a tally. The Huskies have allowed only two goals during their 12-game unbeaten streak and, as a team, have conceded only six goals all season - fewest in the PSAC and tied for fourth-fewest in the country. Hawkins leads the PSAC in shutouts (12) and goals against average (0.35) and ranks second in save percentage (.870). Bloomsburg is outscoring its opponents, 33-6, this season as it leads the PSAC in fewest goals allowed (6) and scoring margin (+1.50). Bloomsburg has also allowed a PSAC-low 52 shots on goal this season (2.89 per game) and has conceded only 106 shot attempts (5.89 per game) all year. Balanced scoring has been the theme for the Huskies on the offensive end this season. A total of 17 different players have registered at least one point with 15 of those players scoring at least one goal on the year. Barber leads the team in scoring with six goals and four assists for 16 points. Her two goals in the quarterfinal win over Slippery Rock gave her the second multiple-goal game of her career - first since scoring three times in a 5-2 victory at Seton Hill on September 19, 2015. She has 20 career assists which has moved her into a tie for fourth on the school's all-time list with Patricia Cobane (1992-95). Barber also took over the team lead in game-winning goals with four which puts her in a tie for seventh in the category. Sophomore Lauren Hoelke (Blackwood, N.J./Highland Regional)  has two goals and a team-high nine assists for 13 points on the year. Her nine helpers are second in the PSAC this season. Sophomore Natalie Holmes (Laurel, Md./Archbishop Spalding) has reached double figures as well with four goals and two assists for ten points while senior Taylor Sneidman (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) has four goals and one assist for nine points. Sophomore Mackenzie Gebhardt (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) has also chipped in with four goals for eight points.
 
SCOUTING WEST CHESTER
West Chester is 13-4-1 overall and finished with an 11-4-1 in the PSAC standings as it claimed the fourth seed in the tournament on the final day of the regular season. The Golden Rams played host to Lock Haven on Tuesday in the PSAC quarterfinals as they ended the Bald Eagles postseason run with a 2-0 victory. Madison Baxter and Nikki Zaso provided the goals as goalkeeper McKenna Mullin recorded six saves in the shutout. Baxter leads the team in scoring with 23 points on nine goals and five assists as she also leads the team in both categories. Kendall Rich and Linzi Wolfe have also hit double digits on the year with 12 and 10 points ,respectively. Rich has contributed six goals while Wolfe has tallied three goals and four assists. Mullin has started 15 games on the year and has posted a 10-4-1 record. She has seven shutouts while posting a 0.69 goals against average and an .868 save percentage.

SCOUTING MILLERSVILLE
The 22nd-ranked Marauders come into Friday's semifinal with a 14-4 overall record and finished 12-4 in the conference to earn the third seed in the tournament. In its quarterfinal match against Seton Hill, Millersville was able to see off the Griffins, 2-0, to advance to the semifinals. Kay Liebl leads the team in scoring with 42 points on 17 goals and eight assists. Talia Grynkewicz is second on the team with 25 points on 10 goals and five assists. Erin Heimbach has been the main goalkeeper on the year and has posted a 10-3 record and a .759 save percentage. Head coach Matt Procopio was named the PSAC Coach of the Year on Wednesday as the Marauders were picked to finish 13th according to the preseason coaches poll.

SCOUTING EAST STROUDSBURG
East Stroudsburg entered the conference tournament as the seventh seed, posting a 12-5-1 record overall and an 11-4-1 mark in the conference. The Warriors were able to upset the second-seeded Kutztown in the quarterfinals 2-0, to see them advance to the semifinals. In their meeting earlier this year, the Warriors defeated Millersville, 1-0, on September 23rd. Alex Pickett leads the team in scoring with 19 points on six goals and seven assists. Monica Woods is right behind Pickett with 18 points on eight goals and two assists. Mauri Jackson has started 15 games for East Stroudsburg and has posted a 12-3 record with a .859 save percentage. The Warriors have won four consecutive PSAC titles - the longest streak in conference history - and six overall, most in league history.

UP NEXT
The winners of the two semifinal matches will play for the PSAC Championship at Steph Pettit Stadium on Sunday, November 4, at 1:00 p.m. The NCAA will hold the Division II women's soccer selection show on Monday evening, November 5, at 6:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.

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