GAME OVERVIEW
• Millersville played its first PSAC game of the year on Saturday and were defeated by IUP, 1-0. The loss dropped Millersville to 3-3. Although the Marauders have not been 3-3 since 2011, they have had a tough schedule so far. IUP was the only loss Millersville endured to an unranked team. The Marauders have also taken on three teams in the top five in the country. The other two losses come from those matchups, as No. 1 East Stroudsburg and No. 3 Shippensburg both defeated Millersville earlier this year. However, Millersville was able to take down No. 5 Stonehill in the first game of the year to show that they are capable of playing with the best programs in the game.
• The Marauders combined for 16 goals in the first four games. In the last two matchups, though, Millersville was shut out in both games, which was the first time since 2012 Millersville has been held scoreless consecutively. Wednesday's matchup is a home game for Millersville, which is promising. The Marauders have gone 2-1 at home this year, with the only loss coming against the No. 1 team in the country.
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Autumn Peters has moved into the starting goalkeeper role, playing the entire game at IUP, facing seven shots and making three saves while allowing one goal. She has played well as a freshmen in goal not just in the last game but also throughout her first few contests so far. Peters has made 16 saves while allowing only four goals.
ABOUT THE SERIES
• West Chester and Millersville's series is still young with the Golden Rams leading overall 12-8. Although it may not be an old rivalry, the matchups have provided a disproportionately high number of interesting scenarios and results. Millersville's win over WCU in 2015 in overtime was the first ever Division II field hockey game broadcast on an ESPN affiliate. The fact that this game went to overtime was not even a surprise. In fact, it is the norm for these two programs. Amazingly, seven of the last 10 matchups have gone to overtime. The NCAA tournament matchup in 2015, West Chester won in double overtime.
• As if the overtime statistics aren't enough, eight of the last 10 matchups have been decided by one goal. From the middle of the 2013 season to the end of the 2015 season, the two PSAC rivals played each other five consecutive times as No. 1 and No. 2 in the country. When that streak ended in the 2015 NCAA tournament, each team was in the top three in the region still.
• Last season the teams met twice and split the season series. Millersville won by a 3-1 score at home while West Chester won by a 3-2 score in overtime on its home field.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
•West Chester started the season as strong as a team could hope to start a season. The Rams won the first two games by outscoring their opponents 13-0. The streak didn't end there. The Rams outscored opponents 11-3 in their third through fifth games. At that time, the Golden Rams were golden: going 5-0 and outscoring opponents 24-3. The Rams, however, have now lost back-to-back games against Kutztown and Slippery Rock.
• WCU is 0-1 in PSAC just like Millersville. The loser of Wednesday's game will have suffered a three game losing slide, which is something neither team is used to at all. Millersville has not lost three in a row since 2011. West Chester has not dropped three in a row since its move to Division II. It last lost three in a row when it was a Division I program in 2010.
