COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The No. 13 Ursinus Field Hockey team built a sizable first half lead and did not look back as they earned a 3-1 win over Dickinson in the First Round of the Centennial Conference Tournament on Tuesday evening at the Snell Alumnae Field.
With the win, the Bears improved to 14-4 overall and advanced to the Centennial Conference Semifinals at Swarthmore on Thursday night while avenging a first round loss to Dickinson last season. Meanwhile, the Red Devils concluded their season at 9-9.
Ursinus got things rolling in the fourth minute with a shot from senior
Marie Brainard off the Bears first penalty corner that Dickinson needed a defender to save. However, Dickinson was not as fortunate on the second attempt as Brainard blasted the ball into the net to put Ursinus up 1-0. Ursinus continued to control play into the second quarter and junior
Katie Studzinski extended the Bears lead to 2-0 in the 18
th minute after sending in a feed from senior
Rachel Fosbenner. Brainard struck again 47 seconds later with a rocket backhand to extend the Bears lead to 3-0.
Dickinson came out strong in the third quarter and kept the ball primarily down in the Bears defensive zone. The Red Devils had a trio of shots impressively saved by Bars first-year goalkeeper
Elise Martin in the first five minutes before finally breaking through with a goal in the 36
th minute to make it 3-1. Martin came up clutch for the Bears again in the 43
rd minute with save to keep the lead at two. Ursinus flipped the field in the fourth quarter and held the Red Devils without a shot to preserve the win.
The Bears held a 16-9 shot advantage for the game and a 12-6 edge in shots on goal. Ursinus also held a decisive 9-3 advantage in penalty corners. Martin made five saves in 60 minutes while Red Devils goalkeeper Arden Cook made seven saves in the full time.
Ursinus returns to action on Thursday, November 5
th as they will travel to face Swarthmore in the Centennial Conference Semifinals at 7:00 p.m.
