Posted: April 10, 2010 9:15AM; Updated: April 15, 2010 12:51AM
All photo's courtesy of IDI Photography. www.idiphoto.com
San Jose, CA - Brian Ems had 3 goals, including the game-winner with
just 16 seconds remaining to advance to their second final four in
three season.
In the only previous meeting between the two
squads, Eric Keene ended a marathon, double overtime game at the 2008
national championships with his second goal of the game to advance West
Chester past Missouri State.
Things took a scary turn early in
the game, when West Chester goalie Ben Wirjosemito was hit hard and end
up going down for an extended period of time before eventually
continuing on in the game.
Adam St. Clair gave West Chester
the all important first goal. With Zach Jacob in the box for tripping,
Mike Carroll found St. Clair, who didn't hesitate and staked West
Chester to the 1-0 lead. Each team has a shortened power play late in
the period, but neither could capitalize sending West Chester into the
intermission with a shaky 1-0 lead. Each team only managed five shots
on goal in the hotly contested frame.
James Shaffer extended the
West Chester lead in the early stages of the second period. Bob
McLaughlin fired a shot towards the goal and Shaffer corralled the puck
and deposited it into the net for the two goal lead. It didn't take
long for Brian Ems to put West Chester up by three, Ems took a Tim
Babcock pass and beat the Missouri State netminder for a 3-0 lead. Tom
Frederick cut the lead to two goals 59 seconds later, taking a Nick
Geigling pass and getting Missouri State back into the game.
Shortly
after the goal, Fritz Vasquez was penalized for tripping and Brian Ems
scored his second goal of the contest to restore the three goal lead.
With Bob McLaughlin in the box for Roughing, Zach Jacob recorded a
power play tally to cut the lead back to two goals, beating the defense
and goaltender of a feed from Salmon Shah. The period ended with West
Chester holding a 4-2 lead and a 13-12 lead in shots on goal.
Kevin
Keene took a penalty for hooking and Zack Jacob played hero, scoring a
power play goal to tie the game at 4-4 and add a jump in the Missouri
State's bench. However, West Chester, a battle proven squad only two
years removed from playing for the national title, responded and took
the lead for good with thrilling goal by Brian Ems with only 16 seconds
left in the contest. The goal was his third of the game an proved to be
the biggest.
West Chester won, despite being outshot 21-20.
West
Chester advances to the final four in what will be a rematch of the
2010 ECRHA Regional Championship game. West Chester won the first one,
this one, will be for the chance at a national title.
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Things took a scary turn early in
the game, when West Chester goalie Ben Wirjosemito was hit hard and end
up going down for an extended period of time before eventually
continuing on in the game. 
