WCU reaches PSAC hockey final

For the second year in a row, the West Chester University field hockey team (16-2) will have the chance to play for a PSAC championship after defeating Millersville (14-6) by a final score of 2-0 in the PSAC semifinals Friday.

Kaitlin Hatch scored the first goal of the game late in the first half, off an assist from Taylor Bracale and Katie Thompson.

In the second half, Caitie McNamara scored off an assist from Bracale and Thompson to give the Golden Rams a 2-0 lead.

West Chester ended the game with a 17-3 advantage in shots, a 10-1 advantage in shots on goal and a commanding 19-3 advantage in penalty corners.

WCU goalie Marissa Elizardo ended the game with one solid save while her counterpart Autumn Peters made eight outstanding saves to slow down the Golden Ram offense.

West Chester will be back in the PSAC championship game on Sunday against Shippenburg (16-3), who defeated East Stroudsburg 3-0 in the other PSAC semifinal Friday.

Men’s Basketball

ARCADIA 98, IMMACULATA 59 >> Mike Piekarski became the fifth player in Immaculata University men’s basketball history to reach the 1,000 career points threshold Friday night at Arcadia, as the senior guard converted on his first shot of the night - a threepoint attempt two minutes into the game - to accomplish the career milestone. Piekarski accomplished the feat in his 82nd career game as he continues to climb the Mighty Macs’ all-time scoring ranks. Brandon McCullough, Andre Allen and Asa Kitchen led the Immaculata (2-3) offense with nine points apiece.

College Cross Country

LINCOLN RUNNERS FETED >> Lincoln University runners Kyuande Johnson and Nazirah Purnell have been named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Runners of the Month for October for their performances in the HBCU classic in Cary, N.C. and the CIAA Championships in Salem, Va. Johnson earned All-CIAA honors for his eighth place finish at the CIAA Championship Oct. 25; completing the 8,000-meter course in 28:25.7 and leading the Lions to a fourth place finish. Earlier in the month he ran a personal-best time of 28:21 at the HBCU classic as the Lions finished sixth. Johnson will compete in his final race of the season Nov. 17 at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championship in Pittsburgh. Purnell equaled the best finish ever by a Lincoln women’s cross-country runner in the CIAA Cross Country Championships, reaching the podium with a third-place finish. The mark helped lead the Lions to sixth place overall. Earlier in the month she recorded a five-kilometer personal best at the HBCU Classic, placing sixth overall with a time of 20:14.2. She also ran a six-kilometer personal best time of 27:04.8 at the Jack St. Clair Invitational.