BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The No.4 Bloomsburg field hockey team's quest for a 17th Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship continues after defeating No. 5 West Chester, 2-1, in a quarterfinal matchup at Steph Pettit Stadium on Monday night.
Bloomsburg (15-4) saw
Kara Koch (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) and
Genna Bush (Boiling Springs, Pa./Boiling Springs) find the back of the net in the first PSAC tournament victory for the Huskies since 2015. It is the maroon and gold's first postseason victory at home since a 2-0 quarterfinal victory over IUP on November 5, 2013.
The Huskies struck first on a corner as
Kara Koch (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) fired in a shot that deflected off of a West Chester (12-7) defender and trickled into the back of the net.
Kate Ferguson (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) feed the insert to
Bella Culp (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) who quickly found Koch to put the Huskies on the board.
Jackie Nevel (Nescopeck, Pa./Berwick Area) turned aside a chance from the Golden Rams' Millie Gallagher before the Huskies went the distance of the field to look for a late goal. Koch rushed down the right side of the field before sending a pass across for Bush who slammed the ball into a wide-open cage.
West Chester's Paige Wolfe pulled the Golden Rams within one with her fifth of the season early in the second quarter. The goal proved to be the only shot of the period as the halftime horn sounded with Bloomsburg ahead 2-1.
The second half saw the Huskies' defense put on a clinic, as key defensive stops from
Jasmine Fink (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown Area),
Lillie Weaver (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) and
Meg Barnard (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) held WCU without a shot in the half. Bloomsburg killed off a pair of yellow cards in the half to punch its ticket to the PSAC Semifinals.
Jackie Nevel (Nescopeck, Pa./Berwick Area) finished the game with two saves as the Huskies outshot West Chester, 7-3.
Bloomsburg will faceoff against top-seeded Shippensburg in a noon matchup on Friday, November 8.
