Magical FP
Season Ends, 4-0 at East Stroudsburg

EAST STROUDSBURG - Only leading 1-0 at halftime, East Stroudsburg University came out roaring in the second half to trounce Franklin Pierce, 4-0, in the semi-finals of the ECAC Division II Field Hockey Championships Saturday on Whitenight Field.

Longwood won the other semi-final game, 3-1, over defending champion Assumption. ESU (14-6) and Longwood (14-5) will meet for the title Sunday at 12 noon.

The Warriors had a 33-1 edge in shots in the second half and scored three times on goals by Shannon McCracken, Kate Dideon and Jess Anders. McCracken and Steph Hippman had assists. It was Dideon's 16th goal of the season.

The only first-half goal was scored by Julie Schantzenbach after a pass from Hippman, who was returning to action after missing more than a month with two broken fingers.

Kelly Wagner made three saves for the shutout, her ninth of the season. The entire defense of starters Kelly Derby, Alisha Rigel and Nicole DiGeronimo and reserves Crystal Vlasak and Becca Henderson kept the pressure off Wagner.

Longwood broke a 1-1 tie with two second-half goals by Emily Prothero and Cheryl Andrukonis in its victory.

The loss ends Franklin Pierce's unlikely season of success. The Ravens won ten games and finished with a 10-8 record, its best and only winning season in the history of the program. Along the way, Franklin Pierce knocked off Northeast power and then third- ranked Saint Michael's College, 4-1 on Homecoming weekend.

The Ravens put four players on the Northeast-10 All-Conference team. Seniors Karen Clark (Brewster, N.Y.), Kristen Clarke (Brewster, N.Y.), and Heidi Nichols (Fremont, N.H.) and junior Hilary Shaw (Gardiner, Maine) wall were honored for their role in putting FP
field hockey on the map in 2000.

East Stroudsburg (14-6) 1-3 4
Franklin Pierce (10-8) 0-0 0

ESU - Josie Schantzenbach (Steph Hippman), 15:29 left 1st
ESU - Shannon McCracken (unassisted), 26:19 left 2nd
ESU - Kate Dideon (McCracken), 14:14 left 2nd
ESU - Jess Anders (Hippman), 6:31 left 2nd

Shots: ESU 47, FP 4;
Penalty Corners: ESU 12, FP 2;
Goalie Saves: ESU - Kelly Wagner 3,
FP - Irene Smith (35 minutes) 4, Kasey McClements (35 minutes)

23 Longwood College (14-5) 1-2 3
Assumption College (10-9) 1-0 1

A -- Jenn Rines (Courtney Canali) 19:26 left in first half
L -- Heather Kinsteler (Emily Prothero) 9:54 left in first half
L -- Emily Prothero (unassisted) 21:43 left in second half
L - Cheryl Andrukonis (unassisted) 3:00 left in second half

Shots: L 26, A 9;
Penalty Corners: L 13, A 1;
Goalie Saves: L-Stephanie Potter 5, A - Kristyn Bonnyman 12