Bloomsburg to Host PSAC Field Hockey Championships

BLOOMSBURG--Bloomsburg University will be the site of the 2008 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) field hockey championship tournament on Friday, Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov. 1. The games will be played at Bloomsburg's Sports Stadium. Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $2 for students. Students from PSAC schools will be admitted free with valid ID. No passes, other than ones issued by the PSAC, will be accepted.

On Friday the semifinals will be held at noon and 2:30 p.m. with IUP, the top seed in the west, facing Kutztown, the number two seed in the east. At 2:30 p.m. Bloomsburg, the top seed in the east, will face Shippensburg, the number two seed in the west. The winners will meet on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. for the PSAC championship.

Bloomsburg, 19-1 on the year and PSAC East champions with a mark of 8-0, will be aiming for its 15th PSAC title in school history. The Huskies, winners of 11 straight to end the year, are led by a pair of seniors, Jamie Vanartsdalen and Samantha Kropa. The duo has combined for 53 goals and 29 assists as the Huskies outscored their opponents 140-14 this season. In goal for Bloomsburg is Allison Ziants who has a 0.87 goals against average and three shutouts.

IUP, 14-1 on the year and PSAC West champions with a mark of 7-1, are defending conference champions. Last year's title was the first in school history for the Crimson Hawks, which started the year with 13 straight victories. Offensively Brittany Owens and Sylvia Guerrieri lead IUP with a combined 24 goals and 19 assists. In goal Lydia Dolly has allowed just six goals with a 0.40 goals against average and 10 shutouts. IUP won the regular-season match-up between the two teams, a 2-0 triumph at Kutztown on October 11.

Kutztown, 13-5 on the year and 5-3 in the PSAC East, is making its fourth PSAC playoff appearance in the last five years. The Golden Bears are looking for their first-ever PSAC title. Offensively Lyndsay Butler and Abbey Sheeler lead the team in goals scored with 14 each and are both tied for second in points with 29. In goal for Kutztown is Emily Falko with a goals against average of 2.25 and one shutout. Kutztown has not played since Oct. 21 after its final two games of the regular season were cancelled.

Shippensburg, 16-3 overall and 6-2 in the PSAC West, is making its eighth consecutive PSAC playoff appearance and ninth in the last 10 years. Shippensburg's only PSAC title came in 2005. Leading the Lady Raiders in scoring are Kim Davies and Kristina Taylor with a combined 37 goals and 13 assists. In goal for the Shippensburg is Amanda Houser who has posted a goal against average of 1.16 with eight shutouts this season. The Lady Raiders handed Bloomsburg its only loss of the year, a 3-2 decision at Shippensburg on September 20.

No team has won back-to-back PSAC titles since the Huskies won three straight from 2002 to 2004. The last three seasons have seen Shippensburg (2005), Bloomsburg (2006) and IUP (2007) win conference crowns.

All four teams in the PSAC playoffs are also ranked in the top five National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFCHA) poll. Bloomsburg is one followed by IUP at number two, Shippensburg third and Kutztown number five.