WESTMINISTER, Md. – Behind a stellar performance, the No. 15 Ursinus College Field Hockey team defeated McDaniel 2-0 on Friday evening from Gill Stadium.
With the victory Ursinus moves to 6-3 on the season and 2-1 in Centennial Conference play. Meanwhile, the Green Terror fell to 2-7 overall and 0-3 in conference action.
The Bears controlled the pace of play in the early minutes of the contest, tallying the first two penalty corner opportunities. First-year
Kirsten Johnson collected the first shot on goal at the 4:15-mark of the first period, but her scoring opportunity was saved by the Green Terror netminder. Ursinus continued with the offensive pressure, tallying eight more shots and a total of eight penalty corners in the period but it remained tied after the first quarter. Ursinus continued the offensive pressure during the opening minutes of the second period, with senior
Ellie Bruggeman and junior
Maeve Montgomery each earning the first scoring opportunities. Bruggeman's shot was saved by the McDaniel defense and Montgomery's scoring chance was blocked to keep the game scoreless. During the 25
th minute, the Bears fired three consecutive shots on goal, but each opportunity was saved by McDaniel's goalkeeper Lora Scarangello to keep the game tied. On a corner attempt, sophomore
Lauren Sieczkowski nearly tipped a shot in the back of the net, but a diving save from Scarangello kept Ursinus off the board and the score tied heading into halftime.
The Bears finally broke through in the opening minutes of the second half as a failed clear attempt from McDaniel led to a goal from first-year
Marie Brainard at the 36:06-mark. Brainard made a move past a defender and her screaming shot found the back of the cage to give Ursinus a 1-0 lead. Ursinus closed out the remaining minutes of the period with three corners but was unable to add an insurance goal and led by one heading into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, the Bears capitalized on a scoring opportunity when junior
Mary Lauren Franz added a goal to stretch the Ursinus lead to two. After a bouncing shot landed inside the circle, a tipped pass found Franz with space in front of the McDaniel goalkeeper. Franz snuck her shot past the Green Terror defender for her sixth goal of the season and stretching the Ursinus lead to two. Behind the stellar play on both ends of the field, the Bears cruised to their second shutout victory of the season, defeating McDaniel 2-0.
The Bears held a sizeable 22-1 shot advantage for the game and a 10-1 edge in shots on goal. Ursinus also held a 24-4 edge in corners. Sophomore goalkeeper
Adriana Palladinetti earned the win after shutting out the Green Terror for her first career shutout. McDaniel's Scarangello suffered the loss in goal after recording eight saves and two goals allowed over 60 minutes of action.
The Bears will return to action on Wednesday, September 27
th as they host Swarthmore College for a 7 p.m. start.
