Louisville, Ky. – The Millersville Marauders are playing for the NCAA Division II Championship. Senior Champayne Hess, who brought the Marauders to the NCAA Semifinals on an overtime game-winner,, struck again to defeat West Chester 2-1 at Trager Stadium Thursday.
 
Hess scored her third overtime game-winner of the season and the second against West Chester, which represented the Golden Rams' only two losses against Division II opponents all season. The win exacted revenge for Millersville's 3-0 loss in the PSAC Championship game two weeks earlier and put the Marauders in the Division II title game for the first time in school history. Millersville played for the Division III title in 1985. The assist came from senior Katelyn Zapp and improved Millersville to 6-1 in overtime games.

"I thought we changed from things from the conference final to this game," said head coach Shelly Behrens. "The kids really followed the game plan. I loved how they competed today. The second effort was great, and that obviously helped with the game winner."

After trailing 13-6 in shots in regulation, the Marauders needed only one shot in overtime. Using her speed, Hess broke away from the pack and found a diving Zapp, who was running alongside her. Zapp's deflection found its way through Krause and the West Chester defense to Hess, who hustled to the rebound and buried the ball in the cage for the winner.

"I saw Zapp diving and I knew I had to follow that up," said Hess. "I was actually calling for a sub, I was gassed," said Zapp. "I saw Champ had the ball so I knew I had to do one last run," said Zapp. "She's the fastest girl on our team so I had to really get it going. She slid the ball to me perfectly."

Millersville and West Chester stood as the top two teams in the Division II rankings all season so it was only fitting that the NCAA Semifinal marked the third overtime game in four meetings.

"It settled in to be the game it typically can be with West Chester," said Behrens. "I am so not surprised that it went to overtime. We've had some great battles with them. They make us better. The whole PSAC--the only reason we are here--is because of the competition we play."

The Marauders struck the first and final blow of Thursday's game. Just 4:48 in, Lauren Gerhart swept the ball into the air and Alicia Youtz, sprinting toward the goal, tipped Gerhart's shot with stick outstretched for her second goal of the postseason. The assist was Gerhart's 10th of the season—the most by a Marauder since Kim Ayton set the school record at 11 in 1994.
 
West Chester's game-tying goal in the 12th minute was eerily reminiscent of the three goals it scored in the PSAC Championship game. On a long breakaway toward the right side of the cage, Marnie Kusakavitch pushed a pass past goalkeeper Lauren Sotzin and a pair of defenders to an on-the-move Rachal Toppi, who redirected the ball into the back left of the goal.
 
Both teams had scoring opportunities late in regulation. With 11 minutes to go, Millersville's leading scorer Katelyn Zapp slapped a feed from Hess but the shot was saved by a sliding Sarah Krause.  At the other end, just inside the seven minute mark, Kusakavitch was presented a clear shot from just inside the top of the circle. A running shot was kicked away by Sotzin. Then, a Marauder foul with 20 seconds left gave West Chester a penalty corner with no time left in regulation. Off a stick stop, Dayle Paustian's took a shot that went just wide.
 
Sotzin made five saves for her 53rd career win.

"We left the field last year at Virginia Beach and left the trophy there," said Behrens. "The girls said they were going to come back and get another one...As Champ said, we've been on a mission and we want to complete that mission."
 
Millersville plays the winner of LIU Post and Stonehill on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Millersville has previously won only won one NCAA Division II Championship. That came from the men's cross country team in 1981.