The Warriors are going to the NCAA Final Four for the first time. The ESU booters downed New Hampshire College, 4-2, in the quarter-finals at Eiler-Martin-Stadium as forward Tom Mustac (Jr., West Milford, N.J./Clifton) scored a 'hat trick.'

This was the Warriors' 16th appearance in the NCAA tournament and previous further advance was to the quarter-finals five times, the most recent time in 1997.

This year, Coach Jerry Sheska's team was not to be denied as they connected for four goals against a New Hampshire team which had posted eight straight shutouts and 15 shutouts for the season.

The Penmen took a quick 1-0 lead on a penalty kick after only 34 seconds. Mustac tied the game in the seventh minute off a pass from Chris Pinto (So., Santa Cruz, Bolivia/St. Benedicts) and then put the team ahead for keeps on an unassisted goal in the 13th minute.

Eric Kolar (So., Fredricksburg, Pa./Tulpehocken) increased the lead to 3-1 a minute before halftime as he headed in a throw-in by Karl Nusshag (Sr., Media, Pa./Penncrest).

The Warriors made it 4-1 with 27 minutes remaining as Mustac scored his third goal and 13th of the season. Ahmet Kose (Jr., North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) was credited with an assist on the play.

New Hampshire converted another penalty kick with 25 minutes left for the final margin.

ESU goalie Jason Land (Jr., Carney's Point, N.J./St. James) made five saves and the Warriors had a 17-10 edge in shots.

ESU will now play Barry University (16-3) in the semi-finals at a site to be named. Lewis (17-4-1) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (21-1-1) will meet in the other semis.

With the win, their 18th, the Warriors, now 18-2-2, tied the school single season victory record held by the 1994 team (18-4) and last year's squad (18-3).

Forward Kelly Hutchison (Sr., Reading, Pa./Exeter), hampered by an injury most of last year, started her senior season off impressively by scoring a game-high 17 points and leading the Warriors to a 61-51 victory over Columbia Union.

Hutchison made six of nine shots from the floor and five of six free throw attempts. She also pulled down seven rebounds.

Forward Michele Pilenza (Jr., Delran, N.J./Delran) added 15 points, connecting on three of five shots from the floor and nine of 12 foul tries. Vanessa Kraft (Fr., Royerstown, Pa./ Spring Ford) was the team's top rebounder with seven while Tiffany Barnes (So., Middletown, Pa./Middletown) pulled down six boards.

The Warriors spotted Columbia Union an 11-0 lead and then rallied back to beat the Pioneers, 73-53, in a season-opening game.

Guard Wayne Bishop (Fr., Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt), making his collegiate debut, came off the bench to score 14 points, which included four three-pointers.

R.C. Kehoe (Sr., Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) and Juwan Justice (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) both added 11 points and Gabe Crowley (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington) contributed ten points.

Rob Georges (Fr., Philadelphia, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) was the team's top rebounder with eight.

Dan Roy (174, Jr., West Belmar, N.J./Wall) and Brad Washburn (149, Fr., Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) were the Warriors' top performers in the 34th ESU Open Wrestling Tournament in the Koehler Fieldhouse. A total of 309 wrestlers competed from close to 25 schools.

Roy won four matches, all by decision, before being eliminated by Tony Howard of George Mason, 5-4, in the fourth round of consolations with the winner placing. Washburn had three pins, including a pin and a major decision. His two losses were both close to Eric Schmiesing of Hofstra, 5-4, in the championship round and to John Krulock of Penn State, 8-6, sudden victory, also in the fourth round of consolations.

Marc Bauknecht (285, Sr., Cheshire, Ct./Holy Cross) won three matches, including a pin, while Tommy Nicolicchia (125, So., Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong), Keith Kleckner (149, Fr., Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville), Matt Dudeck (157, Fr., Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) and Shawn Smith (165, So., Unityville, Pa./Hughesville) all had two wins.

The Warriors competed in their first NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Tournament, but bowed to California, Pa., 3-1, in the first round. They won the third game, rallying from a 14-13 deficit for a 16-14 victory.

Outside hitter April Mellott (So., Dover, Pa. (Spring Grove) led ESU with 21 kills, three service aces and eight digs. Cassie Brinn (Jr., Oxford, Pa./Oxford) had the best hitting average at .353 with seven kills in 17 attempts and only one error. Andi Myers (So., Mount Wolf, Pa./Northeastern) added eight kills and a match-high 21 digs while setter Ashleigh Reinert (Sr., Dover, Pa./Dover) had 39 assists and 11 digs.

The team, under new coach John Greenlee, finished with a 16-17 record and captured the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division title.

Jamie Miller (Jr., Northampton, Pa./Northampton), Erin Kowalik (Sr., Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) and Heather Clouser (Jr., Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing) were double winners as the Warriors downed New Paltz to lift the team's record to 2-1. New Paltz had won the 1999 meet between the two teams, 110-95.

Miller came within 15/100th of a second of the school record in winning the 200-yard individual medley in 2:18.76. The school mark is 2:18.61 set by Sue Fay in 1987. She also won the 200 butterfly in 2:18.45.

Kowalik was first in the 100 freestyle in 55.07 and the 200 free in 2:01.69 and anchored the winning 200-yard freestyle relay team. Clouser won the 1000 freestyle in 11:25.71 and the 200 backstroke in 2:15.80.

Other ESU winners were Donna Gebhard (Sr., Spring City, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) in the 50-yard freestyle in 25.93 and Bridget Flack (Fr., Langhorne, Pa./Council Rock) in the 500 freestyle in 5:49.52.

Clouser, Miller and Gebhard combined with Mikaela Thorne (Fr., Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) on the winning 400-yard medley relay which was timed in 1:56.47. Karen Scott (So., Berwick, Pa./Berwick), Jen Gallagher (Sr., Lansdale, Pa./North Penn), Gebhard and Kowalik swam on the winning 200-yard freestyle relay which finished in 1:44.74.