Women’s Soccer Hosts Wilkes in Freedom Playoff Opener

Senior Katie Dishman is one of four seniors looking to lead DeSales to its first-ever playoff win this afternoon.

Center Valley, PA (November 3, 2008) – The DeSales University women's soccer team begins its quest for a Freedom Conference championship on Monday afternoon as the fourth seeded Bulldogs take on the #5 seed, Wilkes University, in the opening round of the Freedom Conference playoffs.

The Bulldogs enter with an 8-8-1 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the Freedom Conference, while the Colonels arrive to Center Valley with a 9-9-1 overall record and an identical 5-3 mark in the Freedom. DSU defeated Wilkes, 1-0, during the regular season, thus winning the tie-breaker and earning the right to host today's game. In the win, senior Katie Dishman (Nazareth, PA/Pen Argyl) scored the lone goal and freshman goalkeeper Melissa Millili (Deptford, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) made four saves to record her first career shutout in the win.

The playoff appearance is the third for DeSales in its 13-year history and the second appearance over the last two years. DSU is 0-2 all-time in the Freedom playoffs including a 4-3 overtime loss at FDU-Florham in its last playoff appearance in 2006.

Leading the Bulldogs in scoring is senior Dana Eustace (Highland Lakes, NJ/Vernon Township) with 10 goals and one assist for 21 points, while junior Emily LaDuke (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) follows Eustace with eight goals and two assists for 18 points. Freshman Amanda Fink (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) and Dishman each have five goals and sophomore Jill Yetter (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) rounds out the scoring leaders with three goals and four assists for 10 points.

Millili and junior Katie Halpin (Bethlehem, PA/Notre Dame) have split time in goal over the last few weeks. Millili owns a 4-2 record in between the pipes with a 1.84 goals against average with 29 saves and a .725 save percentage, while Halpin is 4-6-1 in the goalmouth with a 1.58 GAA, 51 saves, and a .750 save percentage.

Wilkes has won four straight games entering today including a 2-1 win over FDU-Florham on Saturday to earn the fifth and final playoff spot. Leading the Colonel attack is Taryn Hallowell with 13 goals and three assists for 29 points.

For those unable to attend the game you can follow the game online via LIVE stats at the following link – CLICK HERE.

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