SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The ESU field hockey team rolled on through conference play, defeating No. 7 Slippery Rock, 4-2, on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Early in the first quarter, the Warriors had possession in the attacking half. Fifth-year midfielder
Elaiana Rivera-Lagalla had the ball going down the right side, side-stepping her way past two defenders. Once she got inside the circle and along the goal line, she sent a pass over the middle, where
Emily Dobrowolski was open for the tap-in goal.
The Rock pressured the Warriors with two good looks of its own after ESU broke the ice. Lucy Hutchinson had the first shot for Slippery Rock, but junior back
Alex Eagles made a defensive save to keep the Warriors in front. Hutchinson took a penalty corner shortly after, which senior goalkeeper
Sydney Pope shut Riley Cloudes shot down. After the Warriors scored in the opening two minutes, The Rock got the equalizer in the final two minutes of the frame. Lucy Hutchinson weaved through the defense and into the circle, getting a one-on-one chance against Pope and finding the back of the net.
Retaking the lead for the Warriors, senior forward
Rylie McGrath scored a pair of goals quickly in the second quarter. On the first goal, junior back
Alex Bandura passed it up the left sideline to McGrath, who took a touch inside the circle and fired a backhand shot past Sam Black. The reigning PSAC and NFHCA Division II Athlete of the Week couldn't be stopped as she put ESU up 3-1 moments later. On another rush down the field, once McGrath got in the circle, from the right-center side this time, her shot beat Black as she charged out of the net to try to make the stop.
After Black and senior goalkeeper
Jet Vermeulen came up with saves to preserve the 3-1 score in the third quarter, the Warriors got a little bit of extra insurance in the fourth. With a little under seven minutes remaining,
Lisa Pasman brought the ball into the circle from the right side. Once she got in and near the hash mark, she chipped it over a sliding Black, making it 4-1. The Rock got one goal back, capitalizing on chaos in front of the net. After a ball was sent towards the middle, Keila Schutte-Hanekom settled it and shot it, with Vermeulen getting a piece but not being able to stop it from rolling over the goal line.
UP NEXT
The Warriors return to Whitenight Field early next week, hosting No. 5 Bloomsburg for the team's Mental Health Awareness Game at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
