RUSSO, HEXTALL PACE ROYALS PAST MORAVIAN, 2-0, IN SEMIFINALS OF LANDMARK TOURNAMENT WEDNESDAY AT FITZPATRICK FIELD

Russo scored her team-leading eighth goal in the first half and Hextall tallied her sixth late in the second stanza as the Royals won their fifth straight match to move into the championship Saturday against Drew University, which defeated Juniata, 3-1, in the other semifinal match.    Scranton, now 14-4-1 overall, will host the Rangers at Fitzpatrick Field at a time to be announced Thursday.

Russo and Hextall have now combined for eight match-winning goals this season.

Defensively, the Royals held the Lady Greyhounds to just five shots on goal in posting their 13^th shutout of the season.  Senior goalkeeper Caitlin Byrne (East Rutherford, N.J./IHA) stopped all five of the shots she faced to pick up 11^th shutout of the season and the 24^th of her career.  The backline of sophomores Noelle Malone (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial), Amanda Kresge (Clifton, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy), and Emily Farrell (Telford, Pa./Souderton Area) has now allowed just one goal in their last nine matches.

Moravian did have an opportunity to tie the match in the 78^th minute when junior forward Arielle Caldas (Cherry Hills, N.J./Cherry Hill West) played ball through the Royal defense to senior forward Shannon McEvoy (Lafayette, N.J./High Point).  McEvoy drilled a shot from 14 yards out from the right perimeter, but Byrne anticipated the play, cut down the angle and was able to make the save.

In the 66^th minute, Lady Greyhound senior goalkeeper Sarah Halpin (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) thwarted a Royal scoring opportunity to making a diving save on a header by Russo off a perfectly-executed free kick from just inside the midfield area by Scranton senior midfielder Chelsea Paskman (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South).  Paskman did, however, set up Russo's goal in the first half with an assist, her fifth of the year.

After Moravian's best scoring opportunity came up empty, the Royals added an insurance goal moments later when first-year midfielder Kaitlyn Greeley (Bardonia, N.y./Clarkstown South) found Hextall wide open down the right sideline and deliver a picture-perfect pass that Hextall converted from 17 yards outs.

Halpin finished with six saves for Moravian, which ended its 2010 season with a 5-13-2 record.

Scranton, which won the 2007 Landmark Conference championship with a 4-2 victory over Moravian, defeated Drew University, 2-0, on October 9 at Fitzpatrick Field.  The winner of Saturday's match will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III championships.