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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - Sophomore Mackenzie Gebhardt (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) scored midway through the first half and the defense made the lead stand as the Bloomsburg University women's soccer team advanced to play for the Atlantic Regional championship with a 1-0 victory over East Stroudsburg University in the second round of the NCAA Division II women's soccer tournament on Sunday afternoon at Steph Pettit Stadium. The Huskies extended their unbeaten streak to 15 consecutive games as they improved to 16-2-3 on the season while the Warriors had their season come to an end with a 15-7-1 overall record.

The victory was just the third in the program's history when competing in the NCAA tournament. Previously, the Huskies posted identical wins over Kutztown in 2010 and Adelphi in 1996. Meanwhile, the 15-game unbeaten streak is the longest since going 16-0-4 during a 20-game stretch in the 1998 season.

Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Jenna Hawkins (Fleetwood, Pa./Fleetwood) stopped four shots for her 13th shutout of the season which breaks the school record for most shutouts in a single season. She lowered her goals against average to 0.39 while increasing her save percentage to .867 with the performance. Heather Hartman held the previous record of 12 which she established during the 2001 season. As a team, the Huskies picked up their 15th shutout of the year which adds to the program record for most shutouts in a season - the 1998 team held the previous record with 13.

Gebhardt was able to one-time a centering pass from freshman Nicole Varano (Paxinos, Pa./Mt. Carmel) past East Stroudsburg goalkeeper Mauri Jackson for, what proved to be, the lone goal of the contest in the 21st minute. It was Gebhardt's fifth goal of the season which moves her into sole possession of second on the team in that category - one behind senior Allie Barber (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) who has six. Three of Gebhardt's five goals on the year have been game-winners - tied for second on the team and one behind Barber's four. Varano, meanwhile, moved into a tie for second on the team with her fourth assist of the season.

Bloomsburg dominated possession in the opening half, outshooting the Warriors 11-1 over the opening 45 minutes.

The Huskies had to weather a flurry of chances that East Stroudsburg had in the second half to preserve the victory. The Warriors' Haley Skove hit the crossbar just over four minutes into the second half and Hawkins had to make all four of her saves over the final 17 minutes of regulation as the Huskies were able to hold on.

East Stroudsburg outshot Bloomsburg, 7-5, in the second half with the Huskies holding a 16-8 advantage for the match. The Huskies had four corner kick opportunities to East Stroudsburg's one.

Bloomsburg advances to play sixth-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan, which upset third-seeded Kutztown on Friday and second-seeded West Chester on Sunday - both on penalty kicks, for the Atlantic Regional Championship. Stay tuned to buhuskies.com for all of the details (date, time, place) on the regional final.

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