Lock Haven (20-2, 7-1 PSAC)

             A first half goal by East Stroudsburg University’s Sara Gorman was enough to secure a Warrior upset, 1-0, over the top-seeded Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania field hockey team in NCAA Division II South Region Semifinal action this evening on the campus of Bentley College in Waltham, Mass.  Lock Haven, the 2001 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion and the 2000 national champion, closes out the season with a 20-2 overall mark.  East Stroudsburg (16-6) earns its first ticket to the national championship game on Sunday with the win, and will face the winner of the North Region semifinal between Bentley College and St. Michael’s College (Fri., 7:30 p.m.).
            The Warriors controlled the tempo of the game early, outshooting Lock Haven 6-4 and earning an 8-2 advantage in penalty corners in the first half of action.  With 10:10 remaining in the first half, a scramble in front of the goal resulting off one of those East Stroudsburg corners turned fatal for the Lady Eagles, as ESU’s Sara Gorman sent one past the Lock Haven defense into the back of the cage for the first, and ultimately game-deciding, score of the contest.
            Lock Haven dictated the pace of the second half, gearing up the offense to take a 12-5 shot advantage and an 8-5 penalty corner margin.  Though the numbers were in the Lady Eagles’ favor, the end results were not, as ESU keeper Kelly Wagner broke out with a top notch performance, turning away 10 of the 12 LHU shots on goal. 
            Lady Eagle goalie Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene) recorded eight saves on the contest.  ESU’s Wagner finished with 12 saves and the shutout victory.
            Lock Haven, under sixth-year Head Coach Pat Rudy, ends its 2001 campaign with a 20-2 overall mark and its second-straight PSAC championship trophy. In the Lady Eagles’ ten NCAA Division II playoff appearances, LHU has won the title five times, last winning in the 2000 season.   

Lock Haven (20-1, 7-1 PSAC)

The Haven controlled the tempo for the greater part of the game, and with just over 11 minutes into play, Shannon Spease secured the ball after a quick scuffle in front of the goal and sliced it into the back of the cage. Lock Haven scored twice more within the next ten minutes, both times Spease finding Val George (New Oxford/New Oxford) breaking toward the cage, first on a quick left pass, then on a fast break down the middle of the field. George connected on both scoring opportunities to give LHU the 3-0 halftime advantage.

Both teams buckled down in the second half, as strong defensive play stopped several scoring chances for both squads. In the 51st minute, Lock Haven was awarded a penalty stroke. Spease stepped up to take the shot, evading the keeper with a ball into the back left corner of the cage for the 4-0 LHU lead and eventual final score.

In goal, East Stroudsburg’s Kelly Wagner (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) stopped 17 shots on goal, while Lock Haven’s Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene) posted a total of six saves while earning her 12th shutout victory of the season.

Lock Haven (19-1, 7-1 PSAC)

Bloomsburg took a 2-0 advantage after one half of play, as Nicole Hartranft struck first off a penalty corner play from an assist by Shanna Fritz. Fritz scored her own goal in a scuffle in front of the cage with just over a minute remaining in the half.

It was all LHU in the second half, as Val George (New Oxford/New Oxford) scored twice off rebounds off the keeper’s pads to tie up the game at 2-2 and force the extra period.

Six minutes into the overtime stanza, Bloomsburg earned a corner attempt, and worked the ball closer within the circle and a quick pass from Sheila Zilinski to Erin McConnell sealed The Haven’s’ fate and gave BU the 3-2 victory.

In goal for Lock Haven was Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene), who stopped three shots on goal. Bloomsburg’s Trish Leitzel recorded 10 saves.

Up Next: The Lady Eagles are the top seed for the PSAC post-season tournament, and will host third-seed East Stroudsburg University on Saturday, October 27 at 3 p.m. in the championship game. East Stroudsburg defeated the second-seed Shippensburg University, 2-1, in today’s semifinal match-up.

Lock Haven (19-0, 7-0 PSAC)

A successful penalty corner play from Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) to Shannon Spease put The Haven on the scoreboard in the 18th minute. Spease pocketed her second goal of the game off a free hit from Erika Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten). Grap scored her own goal to round out Haven first-half scoring, sending one through the Lowell defense to the back of the cage in the 23rd minute.

Spease and Kulina hooked up again in the second half, as Spease finished off her three goal effort.

Haven keeper Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene) spent 56 minutes guarding the cage, making four saves. Backup goalie Ododo Omo-Osagie (Hershey/Milton Hershey) logged the final 14 minutes, facing no shots. Patrice Mendoza recorded six saves in goal for the River Hawks.

Lock Haven (18-0, 7-0 PSAC)

Val George intercepted a rebound off the Assumption keeper’s pads and knocked it into the goal for the Lady Eagles’ first score of the game in the sixth minute. Just six minutes later, a quick pass off a free hit from Erika Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) to George resulted in another goal. Lock Haven’s third goal came off a fast break initiated by George, who passed forward to Shannon Spease (Liverpool/Greenwood). Spease buried the ball in the back of the cage to bring LHU’s margin of victory to 3-0.

The win also gives Haven keeper Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene) her 11th shutout of the season and 47th in her career.

Lock Haven (17-0, 7-0 PSAC)

Only 2:14 into the game, Spease scored on a pass from Erika Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) . The combo of Spease and Grap hooked up again twelve minutes later to bump LHU ahead, 2-0.  Nearing the end of the half, Val George (New Oxford/New Oxford) added a goal which gave the Lady Eagles a commanding 3-0 lead going into the second half.

In the second half, Lock Haven struck early again when Grap scored on an assist from Spease. A minute later Spease found the back of the cage again to complete her third hat trick of the season.  Also adding to the scoring attack was Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) and Marcy Frymoyer (Thompsontown/East Juniata) who both scored unassisted goals to help secure the Lady Eagles' flawless record. 

Lock Haven (16-0, 6-0 PSAC)

Despite outshooting Philadelphia, 37-0, strong play by keeper Nicole Melfi kept Lock Haven off the scoreboard the entire first half. Into the second half, it wasn’t until their 14th corner attempt that the Lady Eagles hit paydirt, as Janelle Ebaugh (McSherrystown/Littlestown) scored off a pass right along the top of the arc from Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin). 

Spease beat the Philadelphia keeper one-on-one in a penalty stroke attempt in the 63rd minute to up the lead to 2-0. That goal set off a scoring drive that culminated with three more goals within the span of three minutes. Spease connected with Ellie Provenzano (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) breaking towards the goal after an unsuccessful penalty corner for the third goal in the 65th minute. Spease scored her second and The Haven’s fourth goal at 65:59 on a fast break, then assisted Megan Dwyer (Collegeville/Perkiomen Valley) a minute and a half later to wrap up Lady Eagle scoring at 5-0.

In goal, Lock Haven’s Tara Beach (Greene/Greene Central) did not face any shots, while Philadelphia’s Nicole Melfi rejected 27 LHU shots on goal.

Lock Haven (15-0, 6-0 PSAC)

The Haven wasted no time, sending a flurry of shots at the Longwood goal in the first six minutes of play. Amy Hale (Hanover/South Western) took the rebound off a deflected shot and sent it through to the back of the cage in the fourth minute, and Erika Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) did the same in the sixth. Before the close of the first half, LHU’s Marcy Frymoyer (Thompsontown/East Juniata) hit paydirt, taking a shot from five yards out after a scramble in front of the goal.

Lock Haven scored twice off penalty corner plays in the second half, as Shannon Spease (Liverpool/Greenwood) scored from the top left of the circle off a pass from Ebaugh and then Ebaugh scored off the assists from Val George and Sarah Gibbens (Oley/Oley Valley). George scored in the 49th minute, getting her stick on a shot that had deflected off the pads of Longwood keeper Julie Patterson (Esmont, Va.) and knocking it into the goal.

Longwood scored in the 66th minute off a well-executed penalty corner, as Emily Prothero (Virginia Beach, Va.) rocketed the ball past reserve Haven keeper Melissa Stubblefield with an assist from Brianne Baylor (Virginia Beach, Va.).

In goal, Lock Haven’s Tara Beach (Greene/Greene Central) posted five saves with no goals allowed, while Stubblefield (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel) had one goal allowed. Longwood’s Patterson tallied 13 saves and six goals against.

Lock Haven (14-0, 6-0 PSAC)

Lock Haven held a 14-1 shot advantage after one half of play, but big defensive stops by Bucknell keeper Sonja Wettergreen kept The Haven off the scoreboard. With just over 12 minutes elapsed into the second half, however, Lock Haven’s Janelle Ebaugh (McSherrystown/Littlestown) gained possession on the left side then weaved her way to the top of the circle where she sent a rocket of a shot through to the back of the cage. Four minutes later, Jen DeNault (Hamburg/Hamburg) scored from the same spot after intercepting a defensive clear attempt.

The Lady Eagles continued their offensive assault well into the final half, scoring two more goals each within five minutes of the next, to bring the final to 4-0. Jocelyn Held (Slatington/Northwestern Lehigh) pocketed her first goal of the season, sneaking one past the Bucknell defense from just five yards out. Erika Grap (Van Etten/Spencer-Van Etten) wrapped up LHU scoring with a 10-yard shot from the right of the cage.

Lock Haven (13-0, 6-0 PSAC)

Both of Hale's goals came off of penalty corners, with assists from Val George (New Oxford/New Oxford) and Jen DeNault (Hamburg/Hamburg).  Shannon Spease (Liverpool/Greenwood) nabbed the unassisted goal in the game's 49th minute to round out Lady Eagle scoring.

Lock Haven (12-0, 6-0 PSAC)

Getting in on the scoring along with Val George for the Lady Eagles were Shannon Spease (Liverpool/Greenwood), Marcy Frymoyer (Thompsontown/East Juniata), Courtney Diener (Bird-in-Hand/Conestoga Valley), Megan Dwyer (Collegeville/Perkiomen Valley), Carrie Witherel (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) (2), Fonati Ward (Trenton, N.J./Milton Hershey), and Laura Baranski (Collingswood, N.J./Collingswood).

The win marks Lock Haven’s 10th shutout in 12 games this season, and it is also the 16th straight conference victory for the Lady Eagles, a streak dating back to the 1999 season.

Lock Haven (11-0, 5-0 PSAC)

Shannon Spease connected with Erika Grap in the second minute of play to give Lock Haven the early advantage. Mercyhurst answered with a goal in the 25th minute by Laurie Sienkiewicz to knot the game at 1-1. Only the second time this season that Lock Haven has been scored on, the Lady Eagles fought back hard, jumping ahead, 2-1, with a goal off the stick of Spease just one and a half minutes later. Before the close of the half, Grap found the back of the cage again to give The Haven the 3-1 lead.

Spease scored her second and third goals in the second half, successfully converting passes from Grap and Megan Dwyer (Collegeville/Perkiomen Valley) to wrap up Lock Haven scoring for the 5-1 victory.

In goal, Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene Central) recorded seven saves with one goal against. Mercyhurst’s Summer Kraatz had 12 saves along with five goals against.

Lock Haven (10-0, 5-0 PSAC)

Lock Haven outshot Indiana, 20-3 in regulation, but was unable to get anything past the IUP defense and keeper Jen Lawler. In their first overtime game this season, the Lady Eagles took just 14 seconds to wrap things up, as junior forward Erika Grap used a reverse stick lift over the keeper to finalize the victory.

Lock Haven’s Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene Central) posted three saves, while IUP’s Jen Lawler recorded 14 saves and one goal against.

Lock Haven (9-0, 4-0 PSAC)

Erika Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) opened Lock Haven scoring in the 10th minute of play off an assist from PSAC Player of the Week Shannon Spease (Liverpool/Greenwood). Senior forward Val George (New Oxford/New Oxford) gave Lock Haven the 2-0 lead before the half, assisted by Janelle Ebaugh (McSherrystown/Littlestown).

Hale scored twice in the second half to give the Lady Eagles the four-goal cushion, finding the back of the cage on an unassisted shot then receiving help from George on the second. Freshman midfielder Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) capped off the LHU scoring drive in the 62nd minute off a pass from Spease.

Lock Haven’s Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene Central) recorded three saves in a full 70 minutes of work, while Kutztown’s Veronica Carr recorded nine saves on the contest.

Lock Haven (8-0, 3-0 PSAC)

Lock Haven dominated the field, taking 65 shots at the cage compared to FPC’s lone shot on goal. The Ravens had a fast break attempt in the 47th minute, but the shot sailed just wide. Shannon Spease (Liverpool/Greenwood) and Megan Dwyer (Collegeville/Perkiomen Valley) opened up Lady Eagle scoring early in the first half on break-aways with assists from Erika Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) and Spease, respectively. Janelle Ebaugh (McSherrystown/Littlestown) hit the back left corner of the cage to convert the penalty stroke in the 18th minute, then hit paydirt again off a penalty corner (Ellie Provenzano, Megan Dwyer assisted).

Val George (New Oxford/New Oxford) upped the lead to 5-0 after scoring on a rebounded shot in a flurry of sticks in front of the cage. Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) added another goal before the half off an assist from Sarah Gibbens (Oley/Oley Valley) to bring the score to 6-0.

In the second half, a perfectly executed fast break play from Laura Baranski (Collingswood, N.J./Collingswood) to Carrie Witherel (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) resulted in LHU’s seventh goal of the game, and Grap scored from the top of the arc in the 61st minute to push Lock Haven ahead by an 8-0 margin. Gibbens took the second penalty stroke of the game, lifting the ball off the ground and into the left side of the cage past the FPC keeper for the goal. Sara Segerlin (Penfield, N.Y./Webster) wrapped up Haven scoring with a volley from five yards out, giving Lock Haven the final 10-0 victory.

Franklin Pierce keeper Irene Smith recorded an incredible 41 saves in goal, giving up eight of the 10 goals. Backup keeper Kasey McClements allowed two goals with five saves. Lock Haven keepers Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene Central) and Ododo Omo-Osagie (Hershey/Milton Hershey) had a quiet day’s work, and did not post any saves.

Lock Haven (7-0, 3-0 PSAC)

The Lady Eagles dominated the field, allowing just one shot on goal while tallying 32 shots of their own. LHU’s first opportunity to score came with a penalty stroke in the 14th minute, but the shot by Shannon Spease (Liverpool/Greenwood) sailed wide left. Spease recovered to score the first LHU goal at 22:10, earning the rebound off a shot by Erika Grap and sending it through to the back of the cage.

All three of Grap’s scores came in the second half, starting with a scramble in front of the Houghton cage that she came up with and chipped in to give Lock Haven the 2-0 advantage. Six minutes later, a feed from Spease on a fast break gave Grap the angle for the back lift shot into the top right corner of the goal. Grap wrapped up Lady Eagle scoring in the 67th minute off an assist from Sara Segerlin (Penfield, N.Y./Webster).

Houghton keeper Amy Petersen redirected 25 Lock Haven shots on goal, while LHU’s Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene Central) turned away one opponent shot.

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Lock Haven (6-0, 3-0 PSAC)

Despite the 24-1 shot advantage in favor of The Haven, the East Stroudsburg defense battled hard and aside from the penalty stroke, kept LHU off the scoreboard and well under its 3.80 goals per game average. The first half ending in a scoreless tie, the second proved to be just as intense. An East Stroudsburg foul inside the box in the 42nd minute would be the difference, however, as LHU’s Shannon Spease rocketed the ball into the bottom left corner of the cage on the penalty stroke for the 1-0 Haven lead.

East Stroudsburg keeper Kelly Wagner piloted the defensive effort, posting 20 saves, while LHU keeper Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene) faced just one shot on goal, tallying the single save.

Spease also scored the game-winner in last year’s 1-0 victory against East Stroudsburg University.

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Lock Haven (5-0, 2-0 PSAC)

Spease opened it up with a goal early in the first half off a penalty corner with an assist from Janelle Ebaugh (McSherrystown/Littlestown). She scored again in the second half off an assist from Amy Hale (Hanover/South Western). Freshman Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) assisted George in the final goal of the game.

Forward Carli Bordner put in Shippensburg’s only goal off a penalty corner midway through the second quarter.

SU goalkeeper, Kira Fisher had a busy day, deflecting 18 of the Haven’s 21 shots on goal. LHU goalkeeper Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene) had three saves in the effort.

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Lock Haven (4-0, 1-0 PSAC)

Freshman midfielder Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) recorded assists on both of the scores.

The Haven kept MU keeper Jen Edelman busy, taking 38 shots on goal. Edelman deflected 22 of those 38 shots. LHU senior keeper Tara Beach (Greene, N.Y./Greene Central) posted six saves in the shutout.

Once again this season, a trio of Lock Haven graduates made up the coaching staff of the two opposing teams, LHU Head Coach Pat Rudy (LHU , ‘77) and Assistant Coach Kristen Geissler (LHU, ‘98) along with Millersville Head Coach Diane Drumheller (LHU, ‘98).

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Lock Haven (3-0-0)

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A trio of LHU graduates made up the coaching lineup in today’s contest: LHU Head Coach Pat Rudy (LHU, ‘77), LHU Assistant Coach Kristen Geissler (LHU, ‘98), Juniata Head Coach Caroline Gillich (LHU, ‘96).

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            Lock Haven senior forward Val George (New Oxford/New Oxford) scored a goal and assisted on three more to lead the Lady Eagles to a 5-0 victory over Ithaca College in their season and home-opener this afternoon.
        Lock Haven set the pace early, as junior forward Amy Hale (Hanover/South Western) chipped in a loose ball in front of the goal with only 4:45 expired in the contest. From that point, the Lady Eagle offense controlled the ball for the majority of the game, taking a 31-6 advantage in shots on goal and an 18-1 margin in penalty corners.
        Hale closed out the game with two of LHU’s five goals. Junior forward Erika Grap (Van Etten, N.Y./Spencer-Van Etten) tallied a goal and an assist, and rookie midfielder Kellie Kulina (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) tagged her first score of her collegiate career off a successful penalty corner attempt near the close of the game.

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