MILLERSVILLE, Pa. — The East Stroudsburg field hockey team took care of business on the road at Millersville Sunday afternoon, defeating the Marauders in a 2-0 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Warriors opened the game with immediate pressure, earning two penalty corners in the first three minutes of the first quarter. After Millersville's Sarah Crysler stopped a shot by Elaiana Rivera-Lagalla, Emma Friend buried the second-chance opportunity to give East Stroudsburg the lead 3:41 into the contest.
- East Stroudsburg almost doubled its lead in the final minute of the first quarter, with Minke Klijn getting a look from the top of the circle that resulted in a penalty corner, but Maddie Moline's ensuing shot bounced through traffic and just went wide of the right post.
- The Warriors' defense withstood a push from the Marauders in the second quarter, shutting down four penalty corners, as Sydney Pope blocked the lone shot on goal to keep it a 1-0 game going into the second half.
- Goalkeeper Jet Vermeulen was quickly tested after taking over for the Warriors in goal after halftime, coming up with a big save 46 seconds in. The Marauders forced a turnover near midfield as East Stroudsburg was trying to move the ball upfield, and Alexis Kern got behind the defense with a one-on-one chance against Vermeulen. The Marauders forward tried elevating the shot into the top left section of the net, but Vermeulen got a blocker on it to deflect it out of play.
- ESU responded with a look of its own, with Friend nearly scoring her second of the day. Puck de Ruiter carried possession down to the corner, sending a crossing pass towards the middle. After a ricochet, Friend walked into a shot that a sprawling Crysler was able to keep out that deflected out of bounds with just under nine minutes remaining in the third quarter.
- The Warriors would test Crysler again three minutes later, but couldn't find the insurance goal they were looking for. Lisa Pasman had the initial backhand shot from the right side of the field that was stopped by the Marauders goalkeeper and Friend was there again trying to score another rebound goal, but the chances were denied.
- Despite going into the fourth quarter with just a one-goal lead, momentum was building for the Warriors that would finally break through early in the final frame. Following three penalty corners and two shots on goal in the first three minutes of the period, Klijn delivered with 10 minutes remaining. Rivera-Lagalla collected a loose ball near the goal line to the right of the cage, and Klijn established positioning to be able to receive the pass and quickly snap it past Crysler to put the Warriors up 2-0.
GAME NOTES
- Friend led all players in shots on goal with three, while Klijn was the game's leader in shots with four. Eight different Warriors ended the game with a shot, and six left with a shot on goal.
- Vermeulen came up with two saves in her first appearance in over two weeks, marking the fourth time this season she's made multiple stops in a game.
- Klijn's season statline now stands at 13 goals and 8 assists for 34 points, leading the Warriors and only trailing Erin Gonzalez of Kutztown in the PSAC leaderboard. Friend ranks eighth in the conference with nine goals and seven assists for 25 points.
- With a spot in the PSAC Tournament already clinched, the Warriors currently hold the second seed in the conference standings. They are in a three-way tie with Shippensburg and West Chester with a 6-2 in-conference record.
UP NEXT
The Warriors have one game remaining on their regular season schedule, their senior day against Frostburg State. ESU hosts the Bobcats at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1.
