East Stroudsburg, Pa. - Forward Tom Mustac scored a 'hat trick' as the East Stroudsburg University men's soccer team advanced to the NCAA Final Four for the first time by beating New Hampshire College, 4-2, in a quarter-final round game Sunday.

The Warriors will play Barry University in the semi-finals either Nov. 30 or Dec. 1. The other semis will send Lewis University against Cal State Dominguez Hills. The site will be at either Barry in Miami, Fla. or Dominguez Hills in Carson, Ca. outside of Long Beach and will be announced by the NCAA Monday.

Mustac scored twice in the first half and once in the second for the first 'hat trick' of his collegiate career. The junior from West Milford, N.J. has 13 goals and eight assists this season.

The win raised ESU's record to 18-2-2 which tied the school season victory mark, set by the 1994 team which was 18-4 and the last year's squad which was 18-3. New Hampshire finished its season with a 13-4-5 record.

The two teams had battled to a 0-0 double-overtime tie back in early September, the six goal outburst was a surprise.

ESU's four goals was the most allowed by New Hampshire in 32 games over two seasons. The Penmen and goalie Tobias Svantesson had posted eight consecutive shutouts and 15 for the season entering the game.

New Hampshire took a quick lead as forward Richard Walker converted a penalty kick after only 34 seconds of play. He had been pulled down in the box after getting loose on a breakaway.

The Warriors tied the score after 6:51 as Mustac beat defender Marlon Austin to the ball and booted a shot into the lower left corner of the nets from ten yards. Chris Pinto had made the crossing pass from the right.

Mustac then put ESU ahead with his second goal after 12:15, winning the ball in a scramble among three defenders and kicking it again into the lower left corner from 15 yards.

The Warriors made it, 3-1, with a goal 1:06 before halftime as Eric Kolar headed the ball in following a throw-in by Karl Nusshag.

In the second half, the ESU booters missed an opportunity to increase their lead when Svantesson stopped a penalty kick by Jorge Chapoy with 30:30 left to play.

Just over three minutes later with 27:24 remaining, they connected for their fourth straight goal for a 4-1 lead. Mustac rifled a shot into the right corner from 18 yards after a lead pass from Ahmet Kose.

New Hampshire's Walker again was pulled down in the box with 24:46 remaining and booted in his second penalty kick of the game and 14th goal of the season.

Coach Jerry Sheska's Warriors had an edge in shots, 17-10. ESU goalie Jason Land made five saves while Svantesson stopped four shots.

ESU had appeared in NCAA tournament competition 15 previous times, 13 at the Division II level and three at the Division I, and had made the quarter-finals five times, but had never advanced to the NCAA Final Four.

New Hampshire was making its 11th tournament appearance and was in the quarter-finals for the sixth time. The Penmen reached the Final Four once and won the national title in 1989.

In other NCAA quarter-final games, Barry beat Francis Marion, 3-0; Lewis edged Wheeling Jesuit, 1-0, and Cal State Dominguez beat West Texas A and M, 2-0.

New Hampshire (14-3-5) 1-1 2

East Stroudsburg (18-2-2) 3-1 4

NH - Richard Walker (penalty kick), 0:34

ESU - Tom Mustac (Chris Pinto), 6:51

ESU - Mustac (unassisted), 12:15

ESU - Eric Kolar (Karl Nusshag), 43:54

ESU - Mustac (Ahmet Kose), 62:36

NH - Walker (penalty kick), 64:24

Shots: New Hampshire 17, ESU 10; Corner Kicks: New Hampshire 2, ESU 6; Goalie

Saves: NH-Tobias Svantesson 4, ESU - Jason Land 5

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