SEATTLE BOUND! Field Hockey Earns No. 1 Seed in 2022 NCAA Division II Championships

KUTZTOWN – After Millersville tied the game late in the fourth quarter, graduate student Morgan Mesenbrink laid out to score the game-winning goal less than three minutes into overtime to lift the third-ranked East Stroudsburg University field hockey team to its third PSAC Championship with a 3-2 triumph over the Marauders at Andre Reed Stadium.

After entering the tournament as the No. 4 seed, the Warriors (18-2) knocked off Millersville (16-5) in another thrilling finish to earn their first championship since 2019.

Mesenbrink was named the PSAC Field Hockey Championship Most Valuable Player after recording the game-winning score.

"I'm really proud of our team," said head coach Sandy Miller. "We are very talented, but we worked hard, persevered and believed in the process and for us to come out and get the win in overtime was phenomenal. Our job is not finished as we are looking to bring home an NCAA Championship! We are very excited to go to Seattle and continue getting better and working hard."

Notables

• Sophomore Karlie Hall found the back of the net for the second time in her career at the 21:08 mark to tie the game at 1-1
   
• Senior Hanna Lewis put the Warriors in front 2-1 with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter with her 10th goal of the season
   
• Mesenbrink tallied her eighth goal of the year and third game-winner (five all-time)
   
• Junior Lisa Larsson, senior Madison Kline and sophomore Jady van Gils each recorded an assist for the Warriors
   
• Junior goalkeeper Amy Supey finished with four saves, including a rocket from Millersville with under two minutes remaining in regulation. The All-PSAC First Team selection continues to lead the conference and NCAA DII in goals against average to 0.46 and save percentage (0.60)
   
• Millersville's Kate Strickland scored her 20th goal of the season in the first quarter to tie the single-season record
   
• With less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Taylor Geisel found the back of net to tie the game at 2-2 and force overtime
   
• The teams were evenly matched all afternoon as Millersville held a slight advantage in shots (8-7) and shots on goal (6-5), but the Warriors had the edge in corners (7-5)
   
• In her 38th season, head coach Sandy Miller collected her 477th career victory today, now needing 11 more to move into third all-time in Division II, as well as her third conference title
   
• The Warriors move to 3-3 all-time in PSAC Title matches and become conference champions for the first time since 2019
   
• The PSAC Championship marks ESU's first conference title of the 2022-23 athletic year as the lacrosse team claimed the conference championships in Spring 2022
   
• On Wednesday, the Warriors ranked third in this week's edition of the NFHCA Division II National Coaches Poll. In the NCAA Atlantic Regional rankings, ESU jumped up to No. 2 with the Selection Show taking place on Monday at 3 p.m.

How it Happened
13:58 | With the first quarter on track to end in a scoreless tie, Millersville had other plans as Strickland powered through the Warriors' defense before burying a shot to put the Marauders ahead 1-0

21:08 | After Larsson sent in a bouncing ball from outside the circle, Hall positioned herself in front of the Millersville goalkeeper before redirecting the ball off her stick into the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1

43:08 | The Warriors were finally able to break through on a penalty corner as Kline blasted an initial shot the was tipped of the stick of Lewis to give the Warriors their first lead of the game at 2-1

57:36 | Dribbling the ball along the end line, Pili Zaballa made her way to the front of the cage before dropping off a pass to Geisel, who powered in the ball to even the score at 2-2

62:46 |Moving the ball up field, van Gils fired a pass toward the circle that made its way through the sticks of the Marauders' defender, before Mesenbrink made a diving effort score the game-winning goal for the Warriors

Up Next
The Warriors turn their attention to tomorrow's Selection Show at 3 p.m. The NCAA DII Field Hockey Championships are set to begin on Sunday, Nov. 27 with first round games.
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