The following is a press release from the West Chester University Athletics website:
Tournament MVP Michele Schrift scored a hat trick in the second half to propel host West Chester (17-2) to a 4-0 victory over Millersville (14-7) in the 2012 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Field Hockey Championship Game at Vonnie Gros Field Saturday night.
West Chester carried a 1-0 lead into halftime, after Kelsi Lykens scored off a penalty corner early in the first half. Now, the Golden Rams will wait until Monday at 2 p.m. to find out who and where they will play in the 2012 NCAA Division II Field Hockey Championships. West Chester is the defending Division II national champions and should garner either the first or second seed out of the South Region when the field is announced by the NCAA.
Lykens blast off a penalty corner put the hosts on top very early. The Golden Rams controlled the tempo of the game throughout thanks to the quick start. However, Millersville hung in defensively, limiting the hosts to that one tally in the first 35 minutes.
Schrift got things stairted in the second half when she lifted a shot over the shoulder of the Marauders’ goalkeeper to give West Chester a little cushion. The senior midfielder, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player afterwards, scored twice more in the second half to finish off her natural hat trick.