MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – Saint Anselm’s field hockey team allowed just four goals over their first 22 games and two on Sunday, falling 2-1 to West Chester in the NCAA Division II National Championship game.
West Chester had back-to-back penalty corners to open the game and the Golden Rams did not miss on the second opportunity. Junior Marre Corver (Aarlanderveen, The Netherlands) fired home a shot from just inside the arc off an assist from senior Kat Roncoroni (Lebanon Township, N.J.) to create the early 1-0 advantage for the Golden Rams.
The third shot of the afternoon for the Golden Rams also found the back of the goal as senior Katie Thompson (Washington, N.J.), ranked second in NCAA Division II with over one goal per game, notched her 22nd goal of the season to up the West Chester advantage to 2-0.
Freshman Maeve Murphy (Scituate, Mass.) cut the lead in half in the second quarter, but the Hawks couldn’t even things up after that point, managing just one shot and one penalty quarter in the second half.
The Hawks remain without a national championship in any sport but finished 2019 with a program-record 20 victories, all of which came through shutouts. Sunday’s game marked the first time the Hawks had ever reached the National Championship game.
West Chester (20-1) won its first national championship in field hockey since winning back-to-back 2011 and 2012, marking the seventh in program history.
