Lac4-12

WEST CHESTER - East Stroudsburg University defeated West Chester in women's lacrosse for the first time in history Wednesday as Megan Macauley's goal with 21 seconds remaining gave the Warriors a 7-6 victory.

West Chester had won all 33 previous series games going back to 1964. The loss also was the Golden Rams' first home defeat ever against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference opponents.

With the score tied, 6-6, Macauley cut across the goal mouth from right to left and took a pass from Stephanie Wise. She lifted the stick back across her body and flicked the ball over goalie Holly Showalter just inside the far post.

The Golden Rams had led, 5-0, in the first half with Kim Rochon scoring three goals before ESU's Kristin Restivo, the nation's leading NCAA Division II scorer with 38 goals in the team's first eight games, went to work.

Restivo poured in five goals in less than ten minutes of the second half to tie the score at 5-5 with 17:19 remaining. She took passes from Kelly Lambert on two of the goals and scored three times unassisted.

West Chester went ahead again, 6-5, on Carrie Gibbons' goal off a pass from Shannon Eidse with 16:47 left. Less than two minutes later with 15:06 to go, ESU's Kim Niles tied the score. That was all the scoring until Macauley's game-winner.

ESU goalie Kelly Wagner made three eye-catching saves in the final minutes to keep the Golden Rams off the board. The ESU defense of point Colleen Birmingham, cover point Andrea Demidont, third man Brett Huckaby and defense wings Nicole DiGeronimo and Kate Fuddy held West Chester to a single goal in the second half.

"It was like night and day. We didn't come to play in the first half and I asked the team in the locker room at halftime, "Are they much than better us?" The answer was no and we proved it in the second half," said a happy ESU Coach Sandy Miller after the game.

The win raised the Warriors' record to 7-2 overall and 2-2 in the conference. West Chester, which has won eight straight PSAC titles, is now 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

East Stroudsburg 0-7 7

West Chester 5-1 6

Goals: ES, Kristin Restivo 5, Kim Niles, Megan Macauley; WC,

Kim Rochon 3, Erin Greico, Carrie Gibbons, Shannon Eidse.

Assists: ES, Kelly Lambert 2, Stephanie Wise; WC, Gibbons 2, Eidse, Andrea Tyman

Shots: ES 17, WC 24; Goalie Saves: ES - Kelly Wagner 11.

WC - Holly Showalter 3

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