EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The fifth-ranked Bloomsburg field hockey team battled for 60+ minutes against #2 East Stroudsburg in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA DII Field Hockey Tournament, but the Warriors edged out the Huskies, 3-2, in double overtime.
 
The Huskies earned the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament by virtue of an at-large bid and came into today's contest looking for an upset of the No. 3 seeded Warriors.
 
Bloomsburg faced pressure early in the first quarter but the Huskies stood strong as senior Jackie Nevel (Nescopeck, Pa./Berwick Area) made her first save of the game on the first corner with 11:40 to go in the quarter. The Huskies broke the scoreless tie with 7:12 to play in the first as Kara Koch (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) scored her seventh of the season. Koch intercepted an ESU pass just outside of the circle and drove in toward the cage. Her shot from the top of the circle rocketed past the Warrior goalie for the 1-0 Bloomsburg lead. Aydan McFarland (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg Area) got the final shot of the quarter off with 2:51 to play but her attempt was blocked and the Huskies took a 1-0 lead into the second quarter.
 
The second quarter put both teams' defenses on display as Bloomsburg earned a penalty corner early but did not get a shot off and the only ESU shot was stopped by a defensive save from Meg Barnard (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal).
 
ESU wasted little time to start the third as the Warriors tied the game just 12 seconds into action. Emma Friend found a bit of room in front of the cage through the congestion for the game-tying goal.
 
The game remained tied despite three penalty corners for the Warriors until Jessica Serafin (Worcester, Pa./Methacton) gave the lead back to the Huskies. Bloomsburg earned a penalty corner with 2:50 to play in the quarter and Kate Ferguson (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) sent the insert into the circle. Kara Koch (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) eventually got her stick on the ball and sent it to Serafin to tap home past the Warrior goalie at the 2:41 mark for the 2-1 Bloomsburg lead.
 
East Stroudsburg ended the quarter with two more corners but could not get a good shot off as Bloomsburg carried the 2-1 lead into the final period of regulation.
 
The Warriors put the pressure on the Huskies in the fourth and finally found the back of the cage to tie the game 2-2 with 6:47 to play after two corners for ESU. Nevel made a save on the first corner and the defensive unit led by Jasmine Fink (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown Area) cleared the ball in the second. The Warriors tied the game with 6:47 to play on a shot by Kerry Kaufman. Nevel made a final save with 1:09 to play to send the game into overtime.
 
East Stroudsburg earned the only corner of the first overtime but again the Fink-led defense kept the Warriors from getting a shot off for a scoreless first extra period. The Huskies opened the second OT with a corner just 16 seconds into action but could not get a clean shot off. The Warriors took the ball down the field and earned a corner with 9:10 to play. The first ESU shot was stopped by Nevel but the second rattled home at the 8:59 mark to give ESU the double overtime victory.
 
The Huskies end the season 15-6 after making their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2011.
 
SENIOR NOTES
Aydan McFarland (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg Area) wraps up her impressive four-year career with 88 points behind 36 goals and 16 assists in 76 career games. Her 21 goals this season ties her for 11^th in program history.
 
Jackie Nevel (Nescopeck, Pa./Berwick Area) finishes her career with a 1.23 goals against average and 14 solo shutouts in 42 games. She had a career 76.6% save percentage and a career-record of 27-12.
 
Meg Barnard (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) played in 60 games for the Huskies and posted three goals in her career as a defender. She was 3-for-4 on penalty stroke attempts and had seven defensive saves over the last four years.
 
Kara Koch (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) missed a season due to injury but put together an impressive three-year career at Bloomsburg. Koch posted 35 points with 10 goals and 15 assists after completing a career-year in 2024. This season, Koch had seven goals and 11 assists, including two game winning goals for the Huskies.
 
Lillie Weaver (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) finished her career with one goal and three assists as a mainstay on the Huskies defense. She played in 62 games and was 1-for-2 on penalty strokes. She had two defensive saves for the Huskies.
 
Bella Culp (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) played in 76 games and made 66 starts for the Huskies over the last four years, compiling 33 total points. She had six goals and 21 assists as a midfielder and was 2-for-2 on penalty strokes.
 
The senior class complied a 46-30 overall record on the last four years, including three trips to the PSAC Tournament, and one NCAA Tournament berth.