YORK, PA – The tenth-ranked York College field hockey squad fashioned an impressive performance as they downed #23 Stevenson University 3-1 in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals on Wednesday in York.
The Spartans, who dropped a 1-0 decision to Stevenson in a shootout on October 12, got two goals in the third quarter and then a big insurance goal in the fourth to advance to their third title game in four years.
The Spartans improve to 15-5 overall while the Mustangs fall to 14-5-1 overall.
 
How It Happened
• The first half was void of much offensive action. Stevenson had a penalty corner and a shot on goal with 1:27 left in the first quarter. York had a pair of shots on goal and a penalty corner in the second quarter as the teams headed to the break locked in a scoreless tie.
• The Spartans came roaring out of the break as York got on the board just 36 seconds into the second half. Senior Riley Buschert collected a ball outside the top of the circle. She drove towards the left side of the circle before unleashing a wicked back hand that crossed the face of the goal. Sophomore Olivia Miller was waiting on the right post to tap the pass into the goal for the 1-0 lead.
• York made it 2-0 as they drew a penalty stroke with 3:25 left in the quarter. Sophia Holtzner came off the bench to drive home the chance for her third penalty stroke goal of the year for the two-goal cushion.
• The Spartans needed that advantage as Mustang forward Emma Gladstein netted an unassisted goal off a loose ball scramble 2:41 into the fourth quarter. The Spartans got their bearings and answered with a penalty corner and three consecutive shots on goal. The Spartans got an all-important insurance goal on their next possession as Delaney Mitchell took a penalty corner. Buschert had a shot that was saved off the corner but the rebound came to Kate Egan on the back post and the freshman finished off the chance for the 3-1 Spartan lead with 6:01 left in the game. The Mustangs had a pair of penalty corners and a shot on goal by Abry Klinger in the final 1:02 but senior goalie Belle Fields made the save to keep Stevenson from getting any closer.
• York outshot the Mustangs 14-3 overall including 12-3 in shots on goal. Both teams had three corners in the match. Fields made two saves for York while Jordan Vradenburg made nine saves for the Mustangs.
 
Spartan Notes
York is now 27-5 all-time against the Mustangs … York improves to 3-3 all-time in the MAC Commonwealth tournament including 3-1 in semifinal contests … the match up with the Mustangs was the first in the MAC Commonwealth tournament … the two teams faced off in the 2009 Capital Athletic Conference first round in York as the Spartans notched a 2-1 win … the Spartans have been the MAC Commonwealth second seed in all four years as members of the league … York is making their third straight Commonwealth championship appearance … they lost to Messiah 2-0 in 2022 and 1-0 in the 2023 title match … York is now 3-1 at Kinsley Field in the tournament … the three goals ties a Commonwealth tournament high, a mark they set in the semifinals last year against Widener … the Spartans extended their current win streak to five as they have outscored their opponents 23-2 … the Mustang goal snapped a three-game Spartan defensive scoreless streak … York is now 6-for-9 in penalty strokes for the year … York has reached double figures in shots on goals in their last five games including putting 12 of 14 shots on target on Wednesday (85.7%) … for the season, the Spartans have put 57% of their shots on goal … senior Riley Buschert recorded her team-leading 28^th point of the year with her third quarter assist … Olivia Miller continued her hot streak with her fourth goal in the last two games as she opened the scoring in the third quarter … Sophia Holtzner put home her third stroke in four attempts for the year … first year Spartan Kate Egan picked the perfect time for her third career goal with her fourth quarter insurance tally … senior goalie Belle Fields picked up her 45^th career win in goal.
 
Up Next
The Spartans head north to Grantham, PA when the face the Messiah University Falcons in the 2024 MAC Commonwealth championship match. Game time at Anderson Field is set for 1:00 pm. It will be the third straight championship match up for the two squads.