West Chester, Pa. - Bringing a seven-game win streak and six-game shut out streak into its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Semifinals match against No. 1 West Chester, the No. 8 Millersville University field hockey team was unable to overcome two goals late in the second half and was shut out for just the second time this season, 2-0. This marks the third time this season the defending conference champions have defeated the Marauders. The last time Millersville lost to the same opponent three times in one season came in 2012, also against the Golden Rams.
The Marauders fall to 14-6 while West Chester improves to 16-2 and will host the PSAC Championship on Sunday.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• The Golden Rams kept the ball in Millersville territory for a majority of the first half. The Marauder defense held steady, stopping six shots off seven penalty corners, until Katie Thompson took the eighth West Chester penalty corner of the period in the 29th minute and sent a pass to Taylor Bracale who found Kaitlin Hatch in the circle who sent the ball into the back of the cage.
• Caitie McNamara doubled the Golden Rams' lead just before halftime in the 33rd minute off another penalty corner by Thompson and another assist by Bracale.
• Millersville had a chance to get on the board in the 41st minute when
Kyra Brakefield took a penalty corner and the ball eventually ended up in
Annabelle Tierney's possession. She tipped the ball on the right side and her shot went just wide of the cage.
COACH SHELLY BEHRENS QUOTES
• "For a span of about four minutes we absorbed as much of their offense as we could until they finally broke through. If you take those last few minutes of the first half away then this would have been a scoreless game going into overtime. The only disappointments today were some hesitation at times and trying to connect our midfield to our attack. We created some opportunities on offense but just couldn't finish."
• "West Chester is a good team. They make us a better team and it's always fun to play against them. Our second and third effort in the second half was much better and we attacked better in waves."
• "I couldn't be more proud of this team and what we did together this season. I like who we are, I like where we are and I love where we're going."
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
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Sol Ortiz-Kreiner,
Erica Tarsi and
Annabelle Tierney combined for the Marauders' three shots in the game, with Ortiz-Kreiner's being the only one on goal.
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Autumn Peters made eight stops in the cage, one short of her season high.
NOTES
• The only other time Millersville was shut out this season also came against West Chester on Oct. 3.
• The Marauders are now 1-8 at West Chester since 2011, with their win in 2013 remaining their only victory.
• The Golden Rams out shot Millersville 17-3 and held a 19-3 edge in penalty corners, only the fourth time this season the Marauders trailed in both categories.
• This was the first postseason match between these two teams since West Chester's 2-1 overtime victory in the 2015 NCAA Quarterfinals. These two teams last met in a PSAC Tournament game in 2014, when the Golden Rams won 3-0 in the conference championship.
• West Chester is now 4-3 against Millersville in postseason games, 3-1 in PSAC playoff games, and leads the all-time series 9-15.
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