PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It was quite a day for the West Chester University women’s field hockey team: The Golden Rams won the Division II National Championship on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Saint Anselm College.
"It was a great game against a really wonderful opponent," West Chester head coach Amy Cohen said. "They had something like 20 shutouts all year; we had scored 90 goals. So I think it was the two right teams in the end for the national championship."
Last season, West Chester went 17-3, losing in the NCAA Semifinals. Cohen knew they had some work to do coming into the season.
"We lost six starters, three All-Americans," Cohen said. "Then unfortunately the last week in July, we lost another starter to an ACL tear. So I kind of looked at it like, all right, we're down seven people, we'll see what we can do."
What they did was go 20-1.
"We did have good returners and we picked up some fresh new faces," Cohen said. "So I don't want to say we lucked out, but we had a solid base and people really performed well. So losing so many kids and doing what they did was just something really special this year."
An amazing moment for West Chester field hockey as it capped off its third National Championship season of this decade! -- pic.twitter.com/k2JZxE6Kh5
— West Chester Golden Rams (@WCUAthletics)
November 24, 2019 The MOMENT!! @WCUAthletics takes home the 2-1 win for their third national championship!!! -- @PSACsports @NFHCA @WCUAthletics #MakeItYours pic.twitter.com/Bv5O2oUzGr
— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII)
November 24, 2019 West Chester was led by senior forward and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Field Hockey Athlete of the Year Katie Thompson's 22 goals — including one in the national championship game — and 62 points.
In net, West Chester leaned on freshman Claire Neilsen, who was named the PSAC Freshman of the Year. Junior defender Caitie McNamara was the PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year.
This is the seventh national title for the program — the third at the Division II level. The last one was in 2012.
