The field hockey team was busy in the last couple of weeks registering four victories in four games. The Lions were able to take care of business away against Eastern University by a score of 7-1 on Saturday, Oct. 11, and followed that with two close wins at Montclair State and home against Kean University, both by a score of 2-1.
Scoring early in all three games, the girls got up early and never looked back. The two close games were in fact more lopsided than the score shows, for the team could not capitalize on great runs by the offensive players and let up goals to the opposition in the waning minutes of the game. Senior Lindsey Hatch led the way with four goals over the three games to go along with two assists, and fellow senior Erin Healy netted two for the team off of an incredible 10 shots, as well as dishing out four assists.
On Thursday, Oct. 16, the fourth-ranked Lions faced off against the fifth-ranked Ursinus College Bears at Lions Stadium. Both teams came into the game with a long-winning streak, the College having won five in a row and the Bears winning eight in a row. Unlike their previous games, the Lions did not score first. Ursinus junior Danielle Strong scored three minutes into the game off a cross from junior Samantha Macchio. It wasn’t long until the College responded, however, as sophomore Jaclyn Douglas netted a loose ball to tie up the game six minutes later. The Lions took the lead 10 minutes later with a goal from sophomore Danielle Andreula, who was able to take advantage of a Healy shot that was off target and rebounded right to her for an easy shot.
It was over after the Lions took the lead, scoring two more goals in the second half to definitively put the game out of reach. Sophomore Lexi Smith and Hatch were the scorers of the second half, with the latter off an assist from Healy. The Lions’ goalie, sophomore Kelly Schlupp, had a career game in the net, registering a personal best of 12 saves to keep the Bears from getting on the board more than once.
Coach Pfluger was as proud of her girls as ever, saying they “were not intimidated by the early deficit and just played their game the rest of the way. It’s worked all season and it worked tonight.”
The Lions return to face a New Jersey Athletic Conference team on Tuesday, Oct. 21, when they will host William Paterson University.
